Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar distributed cash prizes worth crores of rupees and appreciation certificates among Punjab’s 126 top performing athletes who clinched medals in the 35th National Games at an impressive prize distribution ceremony at Punjab Stadium on Wednesday.
Overall, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar distributed cash prizes of Rs 3 crore, 3 lakh and 50 thousand among the 126 medalists.
In individual events, the gold medal winning athletes were awarded a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh each. Rs 3 lakh each awarded to silver medalists while Rs 2 lakh each were given to bronze medalist athletes. The gold medal winners in the team event were awarded a cash prize of Rs 8 lakh, silver medal winners got a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh while bronze medalists pocketed a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar also enhanced the Sports Endowment Fund amount from Rs 75,000 to Rs 100,000 in Platinum category, from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 in Gold category and from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 in Silver category for one year.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Muhammad Ali, former Secretary Sports Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial, Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry, Additional Secretary Sports Shabbir Hussain Cheema, CEO Punjab Olympic Association Idris Haider Khawaja, Director Sports Rana Nadeem Anjum and Director Admin Abid Shaukat attended the ceremony.
Besides them, a large number of male and female athletes, their parents, coaches and representatives of different sports associations were also present on this occasion.
Addressing the ceremony, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar paid tribute to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for extending every support and patronizing Punjab contingent that managed to win 16 gold medals for the first time in National Games. “Monthly stipends are also being increased on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that Punjab has become the first province which is awarding the sportspersons crores of rupees in the shape of hefty cash prizes and Endowment Fund scholarships. He also announced the issuance of Health Cards for top performing players, coaches and sports journalists.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar paid rich tribute to the efforts of Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry, former Secretary Sports Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial and coaches for this magnificent medal winning performance.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that Punjab contingent has left many top institutions behind on the medals table after 36 years. “Several of these players from Punjab will represent Pakistan in the next Olympic Games”.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Muhammad Ali said that Punjab contingent’s extraordinary performance showed that our sports is going in the right direction under the leadership of Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar. “This great success is the result of perfect teamwork and I would like to give its credit to Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry and his entire team.
Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry in his address said that Punjab’s Endowment Fund and other facilities provided by Punjab Sports Department had major role in Punjab contingent’s exceptional performance in the National Games. “The way Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar is patronizing Punjab’s sports fraternity, we are quite upbeat that Punjab contingent will demonstrate even better results in the next edition of National Games which will be hosted by Punjab province in 2027”.
CEO Punjab Olympic Association Idris Haider Khawaja also expressed gratitude to Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Secretary Sports Punjab Muhammad Ali and Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry for extending best facilities to Punjab contingent for the preparation of National Games.
Punjab’s gold medalists include Furqan Ahmed (weightlifting), M Abdullah and Abdul Rahman (wrestling), Samar Abbas, M Umair and Zaib Hasnain (wushu), Maryam Rafiq (wushu), M Waqas (gymnastics), Sardar Ahsan Rasool (karate), Zohra Batool and Hamania Javed (karate), Awais Hasan and Kulsoom Khan (table tennis mixed doubles), Natasha Maqsood and Nawal Nadeem (fencing).