Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti inaugurated First Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Division Hockey Championship 2021 amid a grand colourful opening ceremony at National Hockey Stadium on Monday night.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti, who was the chief guest, announced the opening of First Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Division Hockey Championship 2021.
Provincial Minister Ajmal Cheema, Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Sports Malik Umer Farooq, Parliament Secretary Shahbaz Ahmed, Vice-Chairman Sports Board Punjab Rao Zahid Qayyum, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Fuad Hashim Rabbani, Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh, Director Admin Javed Chohan, Director Sports Hafeez Bhatti and Pakistan’s women team that won 29th World Memory Championship in England also attended the inaugural ceremony.
Chairman PHF Selection Committee Olympian Manzoor Junior, head coach of national hockey team Olympian Khawaja Junaid, Secretary Punjab Hockey Association Lt-Col (retd) Asif Naz Khokhar and a large number of hockey players were present on this occasion.
Over 200 hockey players and officials from all divisions of the province took part in the march past led by former captain Olympian Mohammad Saqlain during the opening ceremony.
Spectacular fireworks show and cultural performances were also presented during the opening ceremony. The large audience admired amazing entertaining performances during the grand inaugural ceremony.
Later, torch-bearers and oath taking ceremonies were held and young athletes lit the giant flame alight at a corner of National Hockey Stadium.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti welcomed honourable guests, Board Members, PHF officials, players, media personnel and hockey enthusiasts at the grand opening ceremony.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said the Punjab govt is making utmost efforts for the revival of hockey in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. “Through back-to-back hockey events we are preparing a bunch of talented players and these players will help Pakistan in regaining lost hockey glory”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti announced plans to organize a Women Hockey Championship in the coming months. He urged the young participating players to play in the First Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Division Hockey Championship with full dedication.
In his address, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Fuad Hashim Rabbani welcomed all the participants of the championship. He said that the Sports and Youth Affairs Department is making stringent measures for the promotion of sports in accordance with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. “Pakistan has ruled the hockey world for decades winning four World Cup, three Olympic and as many Champions Trophy titles from 1960 to 1994. Who can forget hockey stalwarts like Hasan Sardar, Samiullah, Kaleemullah, Akhtar Rasool, Hanif Khan, Manzoor Junior, Shahbaz Ahmed and Sohail Abbas,” he explained.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Fuad Hashim Rabbani said Pakistan hockey is passing through a struggling phase these days. “Punjab govt is making useful efforts for the revival of hockey and the First Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Division Hockey Championship is also a part of that campaign”.
Highlighting the damages of Covid-19, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Fuad Hashim Rabbani said: “Coronavirus affected the sports activities across the country last year but Punjab managed to organize more number of sports events than all provinces despite hurdles and fears posed by Covid-19”.
Addressing the inaugural function, Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh said definitely it’s a historic day as far as the future of national hockey is concerned. “We are quite upbeat that the First Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Division Hockey Championship 2021 will play an important role for the revival of hockey in the country. All the members of participating teams were selected through transparently-held trials in all divisions of the province.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh further said that a total cash prize of Rs six lakh and 70 thousand will be distributed among the top position holder teams. “The title winner team will pocket Rs three lakh cash prize, runners up will receive Rs two lakh followed by Rs one lakh for 3rd position holder team”.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh said Sports board Punjab will continue to hold top class sports tournaments in future under the leadership of Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh said that Sports Board Punjab has taken a revolutionary measure and decided to establish a Center of Excellence for the revival of hockey with the collaboration of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh further said that there is acute dearth of quality coaches, umpires, fitness trainers in the country and that’s why coaching camps for trainers and training of umpires have also been included in the project besides holding school hockey, competitive tournaments and fitness camps etc. “Moreover, the programmes of physio training, biomechanics lab, nutrition, sports medicine, video analysis lab are also included in the project,” he elaborates.