RAWALPINDI:Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood here on Monday said the Punjab government was committed to promoting regional and local sports across the province.
Addressing a press conference before the opening ceremony of Potohar Sports Festival, the minister said the opportunities for sports activities were provided to more than 10,000 youth across Punjab.
The government, laying special focus on the promotion of sports, was giving importance to youth affairs, he added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was taking solid steps to promote sports in Punjab, he said, adding that the Punjab government, under its vision, had attached greater importance to youth affairs, sports, and infrastructure.
He said sports academies would be established across Punjab, adding that 10 games would be played in the Potohar festival, in which more than 5,000 players would participate, he informed.
The sports activities would be promoted at the district level, he said and informed that 95 percent construction work on a sports stadium being built in Rawalpindi had been completed. A youth hostel had also been established in Rawalpindi, which would have accommodation facilities for 200 athletes, the minister added.
Malik Taimur said, in a mega project, a fund of Rs 2 billion had been allocated for sports activities. Efforts were being made to promote healthy activities throughout the province so as to engage youth and bring out the under-explored talent, besides creating excellent sports and recreational opportunities for the people, he added.
The Potohar festival would be celebrated as a fair, Malik Taimoor said. Kabaddi, tug-of-war, javelin throw, and several regional and cultural sports would be part of the festival, and Rs 30,000 would be given to the winner and Rs 20,000 to the runner-up team, he added
Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Shoaib Ali, Divisional Sports Officer Waheed Babar, DO Sports Shams Tawheed Abbasi, Deputy Director Sports Nadeem Qaiser, and others were present on the occasion.