Sports Board Punjab organized an impressive Torch Relay ceremony in connection with upcoming 35th National Games at Punjab Stadium on Friday.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial and Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry were the guests of honour at the largely attended ceremony.
Olympic gold medal winning javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, Olympian Faiqa Riaz, Director Sports Rana Nadeem Anjum, Director Admin Abid Shaukat, Punjab Olympic Association CEO Idris Haider Khawaja, District Sports Officer Tanveer Shah, sports administrators and a large number of sports enthusiasts were also present on this occasion.
Secretary Sports Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial and Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry handed over the torch to Arshad Nadeem, who along with other athletes took a round of the Punjab Stadium. Later, Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry and other athletes along with the torch toured Lahore city in a double-decker bus.
Addressing the ceremony, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial expressed his determination that Punjab players will clinch several gold medals in the 35th National Games. “Sports Board Punjab is providing best facilities to all male and female athletes at the training camps being organized at various sports venues of Nishtar Park Sports Complex”.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial said that Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry is monitoring the performance of SBP coaches and training camp proceedings on daily basis. “After merit-based trials and rigorous camp training, we are quite upbeat that Punjab contingent will offer satisfactory performance in the National Games”.
Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry on this occasion said that Punjab’s 490-member contingent will participate in the National Games being organized at Karachi from December 6 to 13. “Punjab teams have been equipped with best possible training and now it is upto them to produce satisfactory results in the National Games.
Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry said that prior to training camps, Punjab conducted transparent trials with the collaboration of Punjab sports associations. “Punjab has plenty of potential in all games and that’s why we are quite confident of medal winning performances from our athletes”.
Olympian Arshad Nadeem on this occasion said that he is grateful to Sports Board Punjab for providing him ample facilities for the preparation of international sports competitions. He also lauded the management for organizing a beautiful torch relay ceremony for the National Games.
Punjab Olympic Association CEO Idris Haider Khawaja also expressed his gratitude to Punjab Minister for Sports Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Secretary Sports Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial and DG Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry for providing best facilities to athletes during training camps.