Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said Punjab will host more traditional sports events on the pattern of Kabaddi World Cup after the containment of coronavirus in the country; he said this while talking to media at the colourful grand opening ceremony of First Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Divisional Open Table Tennis (M&F), Weightlifting (M) and Powerlifting (F) Championships at Nishtar Park Sports Complex Gymnasium Hall on Tuesday evening.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh, Director Sports Hafeez Bhatti, all divisional sports officers, record-holder javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, Twinkle sisters and other top officials were also present on this occasion.
In his media talk, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said the Covid-19 pandemic had affected the pace of our sports events badly last year. “Now we are holding sports events of all games quite regularly after the decline of this fatal virus. Last year we organised the Kabaddi World Cup quite successfully”.
Replying to a question, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said Punjab will also organize SAF Games 2023 events in different major cities of the province. “We are planning to hold competitions of SAF Games 2023 in four major cities of Punjab – Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Gujranwala,” he explained.
Regarding a question about Pakistan Super League, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said holding the entire PSL in Pakistan is definitely a major development. It is also promoting Pakistan’s soft image across the world quite effectively.
“We have established top class sports facilities including grounds, stadium and sports gymnasiums in various cities of the province. We will hold more major sports events in other parts of the province as soon as the coronavirus situation gets under control”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said overall 324 players and officials from all nine divisions of the province are participating in the Championships. “We will continue to hold such sports events throughout the province to unearth fresh talent. Holding competitive sports events is the best way to find talented players of different games”.
Answering a question, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said: “Recently, we organised the First Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Division Hockey Championship in which around 200 players from across the province demonstrated their talent”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti further said Sports Board Punjab also organized First Quaid-e-Azam Open Inter-Division Sports Championship 2021 in early January with an aim to provide a suitable platform to hundreds of male and female players of all nine divisions to express their sports potential. The competitions of five games - athletics, archery, badminton, cycling and tennis were conducted during the event in which 576 athletes exhibited their potential.
In his welcome address, Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh welcomed all the participants in the 2-day event and said that Sports Board Punjab is promoting sports culture in the province in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. “It is quite heartening to find several highly talented youngsters of different games through these inter-division sports championships”.
All the participating teams were introduced to Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti and Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh. They also unveiled the championship trophy at the ceremony.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti also appreciated the Baloch dance of Balochi artistes. The Baloch dance was arranged on the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on the eve of Baloch Culture Day.
Earlier, spectacular fireworks shows, regional dances and songs of all provinces and Kashmir and national anthem were presented during the mega opening ceremony. The large audience also admired amazing roller sports during the grand inaugural ceremony.