KARACHI: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is planning to build three Padel tennis courts at its centers in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, according to private newspaper sources.
According to the details, Padel is becoming more popular in Pakistan, especially in cities like Karachi and Lahore, where private courts already exist. However, the sport is costly, which makes it difficult for many people to play.
To make Padel more accessible, the PSB will construct courts at the Jinnah Sports Complex in Islamabad, the National Coaching Centre in Lahore, and the National Coaching Centre in Karachi. This effort aims to allow people from different backgrounds to enjoy the sport.
In addition, the 2025–26 federal budget is expected to include funding for some delayed sports projects at the National Coaching Centre in Karachi.
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Pakistani mountaineer Sirbaz Khan summits all 14 highest peaks without oxygen
These projects involve installing a new tartan track and adding more seats around the track and football stadium. These improvements have been delayed for 20 to 30 years. The PSB has tried several times to replace the tartan track in Karachi, but the plans have not moved forward.
The current tartan track is almost 29 years old. Because of its condition, athletic events for the 35th National Games, set to take place in Karachi later this year, will not be held at the National Coaching Centre.
At the same center, work is ongoing to build two small synthetic turfs for Hockey 5 and futsal. Floodlight installation is also in progress, but it is moving slowly. Poles for the lights were set up two months ago, but the lights themselves are still not installed.
Additionally, Pakistani mountaineer Sirbaz Khan has become the first person from Pakistan to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks without using extra oxygen. He completed this achievement on Sunday by reaching the summit of Kangchenjunga.
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According to the reports, Sirbaz Khan from Hunza valley, reached the 8,586-meter peak at 11:50 am local time, finishing a goal he worked on for years. He had already climbed all 14 peaks, known as the “eight-thousanders,” but used bottled oxygen on two earlier climbs near the top.
To complete his goal without oxygen, he climbed Annapurna in April and Kangchenjunga in May this year, both without extra oxygen.
“When I finished climbing all 14 peaks, I felt something was missing,” Khan said earlier at Annapurna. “After climbing Nanga Parbat in 2017, my goal was clear: climb all 14 peaks without oxygen. That’s why I came back.”
Khan is one of about 70 climbers worldwide who have summited all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. Fewer than 25 have done this without extra oxygen, which requires great strength in the low-oxygen “death zone” above 8,000 meters.
