Provincial Sports Minister Malik Taimoor Masood inaugurated Independence Day sports events under the auspices of Sports Board Punjab at Nishtar Park Sports Complex Gymnasium Hall on Sunday.
Punjab Sports Minister inaugurated the chess event by playing an exhibition match with 17-time national champion Mahmood Lodhi.
Talking on the occasion, Punjab Sports Minister Malik Taimoor Masood said in a bid to celebrate Independence Day in a befitting manner Sports Board Punjab is organising 11 sports events including chess, athletics, Sher-e-Punjab Dangal, swimming and hockey to engage maximum number of young talented players in sports activities on this auspicious occasion.
He said more than 200 players from all over Pakistan are participating in chess event. Punjab Sports Minister Malik Taimoor Masood also witnessed chess contests on this occasion.
Apart from this, Sher-e-Punjab Dangal was held at the Velodrome Nishtar Park Sports Complex as part of the Independence Day celebrations organised by Sports Board Punjab. More than top 50 wrestlers participated in Sher-e-Punjab Dangal.
Punjab Sports Minister Malik Taimoor Masood and Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi were the guests of honour on this occasion. Upon arrival at the Velodrome, Punjab Sports Minister Malik Taimoor Masood and DG Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi were warmly welcomed and were presented traditional turbans.
On this occasion, the Provincial Sports Minister while talking to the media said that the Sports Department will soon organise Rustam-e-Punjab, Rustam-e-Pakistan and Rustam-e-Hind dangals. Sports Board Punjab is taking effective steps to promote traditional sports.
Meanwhile, Punjab Sports Minister Malik Taimoor Masood and Director General Sports Punjab Mohammad Tariq Qureshi also watched the age group swimming competitions at the Punjab International Swimming Complex. Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi distributed cash prizes among the winners of the swimming competitions.
Director Admin Syed Omair Hasan, Director Sports Nadeem Qaiser, Deputy Director Chand Parveen and Nazish Noor, Tariq Wattoo, Assistant Director Zahoor Ahmed, Chief Sports Consultant Sports Board Punjab Hafeez Bhatti were also present on this occasion.