Attaullah Tarar: Hosting ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan a Proud Moment

ISLAMABAD, Jan 28 (Alliance News): Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage, and Culture Attaullah Tarar said on Tuesday that it was a moment of pride for Pakistan to host the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Champions Trophy.

Speaking to the media, the minister highlighted that after years of drought in international cricket, Pakistan was once again attracting mega sporting events, following the successful hosting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit last year.

He lamented that in the past, sports venues in the country remained underutilized, but the return of global tournaments signaled a positive revival.

Discussing Pakistan Television (PTV), Tarar noted that PTV Sports had significantly increased its viewership and was committed to providing top-notch coverage of the ICC events. He assured that PTV had met all financial commitments to secure ICC telecast rights and would broadcast all matches live.

A star-studded expert panel, including Shoaib Akhtar and Shoaib Malik, would enhance the channel’s coverage.

Tarar emphasized that previous governments failed to implement necessary reforms at PTV Sports, but under the current leadership, efforts were being made to modernize the channel.

He also mentioned reforms in Radio Pakistan, including the introduction of an online pension system to streamline operations.

Highlighting recent administrative successes, the minister praised officers who identified and removed ghost employees, saving public funds. He urged other institutions to adopt similar measures for greater efficiency.

Tarar assured that significant improvements would soon be visible in both PTV and Radio Pakistan, reinforcing the government’s commitment to media reforms.