Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti announced that 73rd Punjab Games will be held from January 24 to 27, 2022 in Lahore; he said this while addressing a press conference at National Hockey Stadium on Friday.
Director General Sports Punjab Javed Chohan, Chairman Pakistan Paralympic Association Dr Khalid Jameel, Vice-Chairman Special Olympics Pakistan Anees ur Rehman, Secretary Punjab Olympic Association Idris Haider Khawaja and Chief Sports Consultant SBP Hafeez Bhatti were also present on this occasion.
Addressing the press conference, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti informed that the competitions of 24 sports disciplines will be organized during 73rd Punjab Games out of which 8 games will be staged only for women. “We will also organize competitions for special children during the games”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti further said that around 4000 male and female players from across the province will participate in the mega event of Punjab Games. “Since the Punjab Games is a major sports event so its preliminary competitions will start in phases at tehsil, district and divisional level leading up to Punjab Games and in the whole process around 15000 male and female players from across the province will be engaged”.
Elaborating further, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said that cash prizes will be awarded to all medal winners of Punjab Games. “After holding 72nd Punjab Games after a gap of 8 years in 2019 quite successfully, now we are going to hold the second edition in our tenure in the collaboration of Punjab Olympic Association”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti informed that Women’s Olympic competitions will be organized in March for the first time in the history of the country. “Our Annual Sports Calendar events are also in progress across the province. Mir Chakar Azam Rind is also part of this programme. We are also focusing on establishing top class sports infrastructure from village level to upper level”.
Director General Sports Punjab Javed Chohan on this occasion said Sports Board Punjab will provide best facilities to all participating teams during Punjab games. “Sports Board Punjab will also make excellent arrangements for this mega event,” he added.
Chairman Pakistan Paralympic Association Dr Khalid Jameel and Vice-Chairman Special Olympics Pakistan Anees ur Rehman expressed their gratitude to Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti for including Special Olympics in Punjab Games. “Our special players have also won medals in international events in the past,” he added.