LAHORE:Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz will inaugurate the third phase competitions of Khelta Punjab Games at a colourful opening ceremony at Punjab Stadium on January 30.
Youth Affairs and Sports Punjab DG Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry shared this information while addressing a press conference at the National Hockey Stadium on Friday. Director Admin Dr M Kaleem, Director Sports Rana Nadeem Anjum, Chief Sports Consultant Hafeez Bhatti and other officials were also present on this occasion. Addressing the press conference, Khizar Afzaal said that more than 2,000 athletes from all divisions of the province will feature in 15 sports disciplines during the third phase of Khelta Punjab Games scheduled to be staged at different venues of Nishtar Park Sports Complex from January 30 to February 3, 2025. Answering a question, Khizar Afzaal clarified that the date and schedule of Khelta Punjab Games will have no clash with upcoming cricket Champions Trophy tournament. “Sports Board Punjab is making excellent arrangements for organising the mega event in a befitting manner”. He said that Khelta Punjab Games are the biggest games in the history of Punjab in which a total of 120,000 players have been registered and hefty prizes will be distributed among the top position holding players. “All the toppers will be handed over their cash prizes as soon as the Khelta Punjab Games concluded on February 3,” he added. He said that Sports Board Punjab will organise Khelta Punjab Games competitions with the support of all sports associations. “The relevant sports associations will provide technical staff, umpires and scorers etc during the upcoming mega event,” he added. Khizar Afzaal informed that the position holders of Khelta Punjab Games will be included in the Sports Endowment Fund. “Necessary changes are being made in the constitution of Sports Board Punjab. Playing kits will be given to the hockey teams which took top positions in the recently held Inter-Provincial Quaid-e-Azam Games”.