Pakistan Olympic Association

National Olympic Committee of Pakistan (NOC) or Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) is the national olympic organization in Pakistan. It was established in 1948 to oversee the active participation of the newly independent state at the Olympiad.

Formation of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA): Under the dynamic leadership of the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan came into being on 14th August 1947. At the time of its independence the Government machinery was confronted with colossal problems to run a new country. This included sport. Captain of the former Indian Athletic Team, Captain S.A. Hamid, who at that time was performing the duties of ADC to the Governor of Sindh, Shaikh G.H. Hidayatullah, gathered some known sport minded people and arranged a formal meeting in Karachi. Resultantly the POA was formed on 25th February 1948 and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the first Governor-General of the Country was nominated as the patron-in-chief of the POA, whereas Ahmed E.H. Jaffar became its first President and Capt. S.A. Hamid its first Secretary General.

The Saying of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on Sport”
“Dedicate yourself to sports promotion, for when you and I are gone, leadership will go into the hands of youth, and youth is our wealth, a raw material, that must be hammered into shape, into burnished steel to strive and smite in defence – the defence of the integrity and solidarity of the Pakistan – the defence of the ideology of Pakistan”.

Over the years, the association has been responsible for fundraising and setting up the management of delegations for the Olympic Games. As an NOC, the association is the first contact point for the International Olympic Committee. Some of its members are also active participants in various management activities at the IOC. Within the country, the association remains the oldest sports body. It was the premier regulator of sports activities in Pakistan from 1948 until the establishment of Pakistan Sports Board in 1962. The association continues to develop programmes in co-ordination with its affiliated bodies to promote sports at various levels. It is also responsible for Pakistan’s representation at the Commonwealth Games and organising the annual National Games event.