ISLAMABAD: In a move to reshape the country’s sporting landscape, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has launched the National Talent Identification and Verification System (NTIVS), a digital initiative designed to promote transparency, merit, and equal opportunity for aspiring athletes nationwide.
The NTIVS introduces a structured and merit-driven pathway through which young talent from across Pakistan can be identified, evaluated, and groomed for national-level opportunities, marking a decisive shift away from the traditional reliance on informal networks and limited exposure.
Open to Pakistani nationals aged 12 to 25 in all PSB-affiliated sports (excluding cricket), the system allows candidates to apply online, free of cost, via the PSB website in both Urdu and English. Applications will be accepted throughout the year, ensuring continuous access for emerging talent.
Under the new framework, entries will first be screened by an independent panel of experts. Shortlisted athletes will then be referred to respective National Sports Federations for advanced technical assessments and trials. While final selection authority will remain with the federations, PSB will oversee the process to guarantee transparency and institutional integrity.
To ensure nationwide inclusion, physical evaluation camps will be organised in major cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit, and Skardu opening doors for athletes from remote and underrepresented regions.
A defining strength of the NTIVS lies in its robust accountability measures. Applicants will be required to submit performance videos, verified records of achievements, and will receive structured written feedback at every stage. The initiative also envisions the creation of a comprehensive national talent database, a step expected to significantly enhance long-term planning and resource allocation in Pakistan’s sports sector.
Director General PSB Yasir Pirzada described the initiative as “a transformative step towards building a transparent, inclusive, and merit-based national sports system, ” emphasising that the platform is designed to ensure that “no talented athlete goes unnoticed due to lack of access or opportunity.”
