LAHORE: The Sports Board Punjab (SBP) took out a rally from Liberty Chowk to Main Market for creating awareness among the public about Janshan-e-Baharan Rustam-e-Punjab Dangal, here on Thursday.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Shahid Zaman was the chief guest at the rally. Former Rustam-e-Pakistan Mohammad Bashir Bhola Bhala Pehlwan presented a mace to secretary Sports Punjab.
Assistant Commissioner Model Town Sahibzada Yousaf, Director Youth Affairs Syed Umair Hassan, Director Admin Ijaz Muneer, Divisional Sports Officer Lahore Tariq Khanzada, were also present at the largely-attended rally.
Talking to the media, the secretary Sports Punjab said that dangal is the identity of Punjab and a popular sport among the youth. “Punjab Sports Department is taking all essential measures to promote Dangal across the province,” he added.
He said that Dangal will be held at Punjab Stadium on March 10 as part of Jashan-e-Baharan celebrations. “All top wrestlers of the province will participate in the Dangal. Our talented youth should come forward and take part in traditional wrestling competitions”.
He further said that Punjab Sports Department will adopt all necessary measures to promote the traditional games in all parts of the province. “Jashan-e-Baharan events are being organized in a befitting manner. Marathon Race, Tour de Lahore Cycle Race, Family Race and Wheelchair Race will be organised on March 12,” he said.
Over 100 famous wrestlers including former Rustam-e-Pakistan Bashir Bhola Bhala Pehlwan, Sher-e-Punjab Shahid Khoey Wala Pehlwan, international referee Farid Ali and more than 80 motorcyclists also participated in the rally.
Different attractive floats were also displayed during the rally to highlight the significance of the Dangal. Several sports loving youngsters also took part in bhangra dance on the melodic drumbeat at the beginning of the rally.
SBP will organise Rustam-e-Punjab Dangal in at Punjab Stadium tomorrow Friday in which as many as 30 bouts will be competed.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Shahid Zaman, Commissioner Lahore Ch Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Deputy Commissioner Lahore Rafia Haider, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi will be the guests of honour on this occasion.
Top national wrestlers including Adnan Pehlwan, Malu Pehlwan, Heera Pehlwan, Gullu Pehlwan, Aftab Pehlwan, Mehboob Pehlwan, Nomi Pehlwan, Abdul Manan alias Mani Pehlwan, Chhota Malu Pehlwan, Mama Pehlwan, Ali Pehlwan, Farid Pehlwan, Sultan Pehlwan, Usman Pehlwan, Atif Pehlwan, Abbas Pehlwan, Ahmed Pehlwan, Razaq Pehlwan, Shahid Pehlwan, Yusuf Pehlwan, Shafiq Pehlwan, Sajawal Pehlwan, Goonga Pehlwan, M Yar Pehlwan, Javed Pehlwan, Qamar Pehlwan, Hameed Pehlwan, Ramzan Pehlwan and Hasan Pehlwan will participate in bouts of Jashan-e-Baharan Rustam-e-Punjab Dangal.