PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur inaugurated the Inter-College Sports Gala 2025 organised by the Higher Education Department here on Friday.
The chief minister unveiled the trophy at a ceremony to formally launch the Sports Gala. Provincial Minister for Higher Education Meena Khan Afridi, officials from the Higher Education Department, teachers, students, and athletes attended the event.
The Sports Gala features 2,000 students from 320 colleges across eight zones of the province. Competitions will be held in 13 different sports, including cricket, football, hockey, basketball, volleyball, throw-ball, handball, table tennis, badminton, squash, kabaddi and netball. These competitions will take place in sports complexes in three districts - Peshawar, Charsadda, and Nowshera.
Earlier, inter-collegiate competitions were held at the zonal level, and the winning teams from those contests are now participating in this event.Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister stated that solid measures were being taken to promote sports in the province in line with the vision of the founding chairman, and he takes pride in fulfilling the dream envisioned for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said for the first time in the province’s history, an Inter-College Sports Gala was being organised, which would now be held annually.
He encouraged students to work hard and make a name for themselves in both academics and sports, urging them to strive for excellence and bring pride to the province and the country. He emphasized that sports teach individuals how to compete, and those who learn to face challenges are the ones who succeed. “The greater the competition, the bigger the victory and recognition,” he added.
The chief minister stated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has carved out a unique identity in the field of sports. He announced a total prize of Rs5 million for the participating teams, in addition to regular awards, and pledged to provide further funds for purchasing sports kits for schools and colleges.He said that the province had increased its revenue by 55percent, with a surplus of Rs176 billion in the treasury, which would be invested in the people, especially the youth. Provincial Minister Meena Khan Afridi also addressed the ceremony.