Around 10,000 athletes to compete in National Games
KARACHI: Sindh Sports Minister Sardar Muhammad Baksh Mehar has said that the 35th National Games will be held in Karachi from May 1 to May 9. The President and the Prime Minister will participate in the opening and closing ceremonies.
Provincial sports minister Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh informed the media, while addressing a press conference on Thursday. He said that the National Games in Karachi will be held at 21 venues, which will include 34 sports. Around 10,000 male and female athletes and officials will participate.
He further said that teams from Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, KPK, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit will participate in the National Games, in addition to departmental teams from Army, Air Force, Navy, WAPDA, Railways, Police and Higher Education Commission.
He said that 2760 players from the provinces and 5600 departmental players, and 1200 technical officials and 132 traditional sports players will be involved in the National Games. He said that National Games are going to be held in Sindh after 18 years, and all the issues related to the events have been resolved. “The Olympics Committee has finalized the venues, we have selected 21 venues in Karachi, the opening and closing ceremonies of the National Games will be held at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium.”
Sardar Muhammad Baksh Mehar said that the Thar Jeep Rally will be held in Mithi from April 10 to 13, in which there will be competitions in 10 categories and 60 drivers will participate. Former provincial minister Nadir Magsi who was also present in the press conference said: “We wanted to hold a jeep rally in Thar in February, but due to Ramadan, the date had to be postponed. The Sindh government has held the Thar Rally twice. Last year, the rally did not take place due to elections. We will try to bring the truck category to Thar,” he said.
He was of view that motor sports should also be part of the National Games. Provincial Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla, Sports Secretary Abdul Aleem Lashari, and Sindh Olympics Association Secretary Ahmed Ali Rajput were present on this occasion.
