Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved an increase in cash prizes for national athletes, introducing a new reward policy aimed at encouraging and recognising excellence across various international competitions.

According to the policy, athletes who win a medal at the Olympic Games will now receive :

• Rs30 million for gold
• Rs20 million for silver
• Rs10 million for bronze

Winners of gold medals at the Winter Olympics and Asian Games will also be granted Rs10 million. Similarly, gold medalists in the Paralympic Games will receive Rs10 million as well.

Under the revised policy, the prize money for the Asian Games has been structured as follows:

• Rs10 million for gold
• Rs7 million for silver
• Rs5 million for bronze.

Commonwealth Games gold medalists will now receive Rs7.5 million, while Islamic Games gold winners will get Rs5 million. Junior champions of prestigious international events such as the British Junior Open and the US Open Junior will also be awarded Rs10 million.

The policy further includes Rs2 million for gold medalists in the Asian Indoor Games and Rs1 million for winners in the South Asian Games (SAF Games).

Youth Olympic Games gold medalists will receive Rs5 million, and World Championship winners will be given Rs7.5 million. Athletes winning gold at the National Games or the Quaid-e-Azam Games will be awarded Rs1 million.