Sports culture being promoted: minister

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Youth Affairs Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that sports culture is being promoted among the youth of the province as per vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. “The volleyball event of Summer Games 2024 has been completed successfully. Really, it was an impressive show of top level volleyball. After this event, we are going to organise more thrilling Summer Games events of hockey and kabaddi in the next few days”.

He said this while talking to media at the prize distribution ceremony of Summer Games volleyball event at Nishtar Park Complex Gymnasium Hall on Thursday. Faisalabad division team thrashed Gujranwala team in straight sets to clinch Summer Games volleyball title. The Faisalabad team was awarded the winners' trophy and a cheque of Rs420,000 while the Gujranwala team was given runners-up trophy and a cheque of Rs210,000.

Additional Secretary Sports Punjab Farhan Farooq, DG Youth Affairs and Sports Punjab Pervez Iqbal, Director Admin M Kaleem, Director Sports Yasmeen Akhtar, DSOs Tariq Nazir (Faisalabad), Faisal Ameer (Gujranwala), Rana Hammad (DG Khan) and other officials were also present on this occasion.

The minister, in his media talk said that though Faisalabad division won the volleyball title, this victory is not only for Faisalabad but also for all players of Punjab. “Our Scrutiny Committee observed the performance of all players minutely throughout the 3-day volleyball event to pick truly talented players for further grooming”.

He said several talented players have emerged in the volleyball event. “After merit-based scrutiny, the selected athletes will be further trained and prepared for international competitions,” he added.