CS inaugurates Quaid Day Chess Championship

LAHORE : Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman inaugurated Quaid-e-Azam Day Chess Championship by playing chess with former Asian champion Mahmood Lodhi and other participating players at Nishtar Park Sports Complex gymnasium hall on Saturday.

Punjab Energy Secretary/President Chess Association Punjab (CAP) Dr Naeem Rauf, DG Sports Punjab Dr Asif Tufail and Secretary CAP Raja Gohar Iqbal were also present on this occasion.

Top 235 chess players from all over the country participated in the championship held under the auspices of Sports Board Punjab and Chess Association Punjab.

Zohaib Hassan Gillani of Lahore emerged winner in Open category while the next two positions were taken by Ferman Aziz (Lahore) and Musawwir Khan Kaker from Quetta.

The Women’s category title went to Karachi’s Sehrish while Lahore’s Aleena Zulfiqar grabbed runners up spot.

Rehan Khan Nasir of Quetta won the first position in U-14 category followed by Issam Bashir of Lahore.

A prize money of Rs 5.5 lakh was distributed among the top position holders in the Quaid Day Chess Championship in which the competitions were held in five categories - Open, Under-14, Women, 55 Plus and Amateur.

Talking on this occasion, Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman said that Punjab govt will take all possible measures for the promotion of chess and in this regard suitable measures will be taken to build chess academies at all the regional headquarters of the province.

“The game of chess keeps mind sharp and active. DG Sports Punjab Dr Asif Tufail and Sports Department are striving hard for the development of chess”.

Dr Naeem Rauf said that Dr. Asif Tufail and Sports Board Punjab

have extended all facilities for organizing the

Quaid Day Chess Championship.

“The purpose of this championship is to unearth talent from across the country,” he added.

Dr. Asif Tufail on this occasion said that the Chess Academy of Sports Board Punjab has been established for the development of chess and the classes of this academy will be formally started in the next few days.