12,000 Athletes to shine in 33rd edition of the much-awaited National Games 2019
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government decided to hold the 33rd edition of the much-awaited National Games in Peshawar during October this year.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government decided to hold the 33rd edition of the much-awaited National Games in Peshawar during October this year.
According to a statement issued by the government, the decision was taken during a meeting. Senior Minister for Sports, Culture, Tourism and Youth Affairs Mohammad Atif Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association president Syed Aqil Shah announced the schedule of the Games after the meeting.
They exchanged views on smoothly holding the Games at the Peshawar Sports Complex, Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex Charsadda and the Hayatabad Sports Complex.
Syed Aqil Shah, the vice-president of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), during a briefing told Atif Khan that the POA has allotted the Games to the KP Olympic Association.
“We hope that the KP government in collaboration with the Directorate of Sports KP and KP Olympic Association would hold the Games in a memorable fashion,” said Aqil.
Aqil also conveyed to Atif that POA president retired Lt Gen Arif Hasan was coming to Peshawar to meet him, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Governor Shah Farman and Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Shaheen Mazhar Mahmood. During these meetings law and order situation and the steps being taken for successfully holding the Games will be discussed.
Aqil revealed that the National Games torch rally would start from Mazar-i-Quaid, Karachi) on Sept 1, 2019 and go through different cities before reaching Babe Khyber, District Khyber.
From District Khyber the torch would enter the Peshawar Sports Complex on the opening day of the Games with Prime Minister Imran Khan featuring as chief guest.
According to Aqil, around 12,000 athletes of 34 disciplines would represent Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Wapda, Railways, HEC, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir at the National Games.
Aqil further said that the POA was in talks with the Sri Lankan Olympic Association, Afghanistan Olympic Association, Olympic associations of China and India and Olympic Association Bangladesh to invite them to feature in the forthcoming National Games.
“The National Games will be a huge event in which participation from the [above-mentioned] regional countries will give good name to Pakistan,” Aqil said.
