The 33rd National Games will commence today (Sunday) here at well decorated Peshawar Sports Complex with both men and women athletes taking part.
Addressing a press conference, Senior Minister Khyber Muhammad Atif Khan informed that Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would formally inaugurate the Games being organized jointly by Directorate of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khyber Olympic Association with the strong support of Pakistan Olympic Association after a lapse of 9 years.
He said all is set to hold the Games in befitting manners wherein 10,000 athletes from Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, Higher Education Commission, Pakistan Railways, Pakistan Wapda, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Pakistan Police, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir are taking part in 32 men and 27 female games.
The government is ready to hold the National Games, Atif Khan said, adding the gold medal winner in the National Games will be given Rs 200,000, Rs 100,000 for the silver medal and Rs 50,000 will be given to the bronze medal winner.
He said with holding of the 33rd National Games, it would portrayed a true picture as unfortunately the western media is not show it. The senior minister said that in a country with a population of 22 million, we are failed to win a single medal in the Olympic. It is our weakness not to win more medals at the international level, which will now be organized by the provincial government to tackle such events, and they will be given regular scholarship to encourage athletes and at the same time provide scholarships for athletes. To continue with their education, sports complexes will be set up at the Tehsil level as per the government's vision for the players.
President KP Olympic Association Syed Aqil Shah, Secretary Sports Kamran Rehman, DG Sports Asfandyar Khattak, Director Operation Syed Saqlain Shah, Organizing Secretary Zulfiqar Ali Butt, Presidents and Secretaries of various associations, Districts Sports Officers, Coaches were also present.
Earlier, a full dress of the 33rd National Games held with all the participation players took part in the march past. President Pakistan Olympic Association Lt. Gen Arif Hassan (retired) was the chief guest on this occasion.
A team of Pakistan Army paratroopers also jumped from the 20,000 feet all the 10 para-jumper landed safely.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019