PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan will open the biggest and mega Women U21 Inter-District Games, carrying more than 3000 athletes of all 35 districts across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in seven different disciplines on Tuesday at 11 am.
This was stated by Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khalid Khan while addressing a press conference here at Peshawar Sports Complex.
Director Female Games Rasheeda Ghaznavi, Director Operation Syed Saqlain Shah, Director Development Saleem Raza, AD Games Zakir Ullah, Administrator Peshawar Sports Complex Jaffer Shah and other personalities were also present.
DG Sports Khalid Khan said that we would try our best to complete the ongoing schemes of ADP as soon as possible with the government having already increased sports ADP to Rs. 6.5 billion and use all possible resources for the promotion and development of sports.
In this regard, he directed the Director Miss Rashida Ghaznavi to ensure all preparations to ensure due facilities to the players during these Games. He said it should ensure the provision of state-of-the-art sports facilities to the women in three different venues including Sports Complex Bamkhel, District Swabi, Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex.
He said looking after the biggest ever female Games, they have arranged accommodations in different hostels, hostels of the Directorate of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa University of Peshawar and other colleges. He said a cricket event will be played at Bamkhel Sports Complex, Swabi and Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser will grace the occasion as chief guest. Arrangements have already been made in the Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex, Charsadda, Girls College Dargai, Mardan and Peshawar Sports Complex and hopefully the players would not feel any difficulties whatsoever during the Games.
He said that the top priorities of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan include sports, players and provision of facilities to them. He directed all the staff to focus on ensuring the welfare of the players in this regard. He said that Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has allocated Rs. 3000 for the establishment of sports infrastructure at Union Councils level.
He said efforts would be taken to ensure completion of all ongoing schemes and provision of funds would be the top priority. Answering a question, Khalid Khan said that the govt is fully committed to promote sports on priority basis and for this purpose he said Rs. 6.5 billion has been allocated and currently more than 151 playing facilities continue.
To standardization and up-gradation of sports complexes at Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Haripur and Mardan, lying of hockey turfs at Swat, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Malakand, Buner, Bajaur, construction of Squash Complex, lying of synthetic courts for Tennis, construction of badminton hall, basketball courts, volleyball courts would be part of that facilities.
The arrival of the teams have already been completed and accommodated at different facilities besides ensuring provision of transport facilities to the players from venue to accommodation and from accommodation to the venues. Mostly females’ liaison officials have been deputed in the buses and at the venues to trickle down involvement of male in the events.
He said the Games were delayed due to the Corona epidemic. The Games were scheduled to be held in 2020 and are now being held, he added. The best performing players participated in the Inter-Regional Games and competitions were held between the seven regions. He said the players would compete in Athletics, Badminton, Table Tennis, Tug-of-War, Cricket, Netball and Volleyball events. Fool-proof security arrangements are also being made, he said. He said the winners would also be awarded sports scholarships like other medallists.