Govt committed to promote sports activities across country: PM
PESHAWAR:Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday said the government was committed to promote sports activities across the country and utilize all available resources to achieve that goal.
Addressing an inaugural ceremony ‘Under-21 Games’ in which more than 2,940 players from across the province are participating here at Qayyum Sports Complex, he said sports activities would be enhanced both at union council and village levels to highlight the talent of youth.
The prime minister said sports brought positive changes in the society besides providing an environment of a healthy competition. He urged the youth to come forward and make the country as a great nation on the globe.
He said sports played a key role in healthier upbringing of the youth, and the present government would leave no stone unturned to ensure the provision of the best possible sports’ facilities to them at their doorstep.
He expressed his resolve to promote sports’ events at the grassroots level to exploit the true potential of the youth.
The prime minister said life was the name of competition and sports helped us to learn the art of competition.
He said a true champion always learned from his defeat without being demoralized and added it was the sports that helped him to wage a long political struggle.
He said only those nations emerged as strong which valiantly cope with the difficult times and expressed the hope that Pakistan would also emerge as a strong nation and the youth have an important role in that regard.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government was focusing on the promotion of sports activities, and lauded the organizers of that mega event in the province which would certainly yield positive impact among the youth.
He hoped that the talent of Pakistan would surface worldwide from such sports occurrences time and again.
Earlier, all the participating athletes took part in stunning March Past, followed by National Anthem. The students of City School – a private schooling system – mesmerized the spectators with their excellent performances.
The Frontier Constabulary Band and Masud Battani dances also enthralled the guests.
The winners and runners-up of the games will be awarded with handsome cash prizes besides monthly stipend to the medalists and top three position holders.
KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Governor Shah Farman, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noor ul Haq Qadri, Defense Minister Pervez Khattak, Minister for Postal Services and Communication Murad Saeed, Provincial Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, KP Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra, Adviser to the CM on Information Ajmal Khan Wazir, Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, Secretary Sports Khushal Khan, Tourism Corporation Managing Director Junaid Khan, Sports Director General Asfandyar Khan Khattak, Sports Director (Female) Rashida Ghaznavi, Director Operation Syed Saqlain Shah, officials, players and a large number of people attended the opening ceremony.
