Torch for 35th National Games lit at Mazar-e-Quaid

A wave of excitement swept over sports enthusiasts in Karachi as the city hosted on Friday the momentous Torch Relay Ceremony performed by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah for the 35th National Games 2025 starting on December 6 in Karachi.

The games will take place at 24 high-standard venues across the provincial capital and end on December 13. The torch relay ceremony was held at the Mazar-e-Quaid where the CM officially launched the countdown to the games. Shah stood at the epicentre of the grand event, transforming the ceremony into a powerful declaration of national unity and athletic ambition. The iconic flame, a symbol of hope and sportsmanship, was ceremonially passed from the hands of international athletes to the CM.

“Karachi has the unparalleled honour to host the National Games after nearly two decades; therefore, it must be organised in a befitting and memorable manner,” the CM declared with palpable pride. “The Sindh government believes promoting sports is essential for engaging youth in healthy and constructive activities. Hosting the 35th National Games will be a proud moment, not only for Sindh but for the entire country!” he said while addressing the ceremony.

He added that Pakistan’s youth, particularly young girls, possessed remarkable courage and determination. He recalled that the first National Olympics were inaugurated in Karachi in 1948 by the Founder of the Nation himself. “The first trophy was donated by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and to this day the champion receives the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy,” he added.

Shah said Karachi had hosted the highest number of National Games in the country’s history, and expressed full confidence in the success of the upcoming edition. “On behalf of the Government of Sindh, the sports department and the entire administration, I assure you that the 35th National Games will be a resounding success,” he asserted as he expressed the hope that the people of Karachi would fill every venue where the games would take place.

Major sporting talent would emerge from the event, the CM said. Highlighting the tradition of the Torch Relay, he noted its historic origins. “The Olympic Games began in Olympia, Greece, where the torch was first lit. Since 1928, the flame has been lit for every modern Olympic Games,” he said.

He explained that the torch was traditionally passed from the previous hosts to the next organisers. “Today, the National Games torch has arrived in Karachi from Quetta, and from here it will move to Peshawar — the host of the next Games,” he said. He also announced that the Youth Olympics would be organised by the provincial sports department biennially.

He assured the participants that the Sindh government would ensure world-class arrangements for the National Games and provide a safe, well-managed environment for all athletes and officials. He also thanked the Sindh Olympic Association and the Pakistan Olympic Association for inviting him to the ceremony. He concluded with the slogan: “Pakistan Zindabad.”

The ceremony, which began with the National Anthem and recitation of Holy Quran, was charged with patriotic fervour. Students, Olympic representatives, and dignitaries watched as the Balochistan Olympic Association formally handed over the torch to the Sindh CM who passed it to provincial sports minister Mohammad Bux Khan Mahar.

The torch would be carried along Karachi’s most significant routes, a beacon of light for the “City of Lights,” and in a spectacular first, it would be borne across the Arabian Sea aboard a ship, before commencing its nationwide relay to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other provinces.

The Games will bring together a staggering more than 11,000 athletes and officials from all provinces and major departments, including the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, Water & Power Development Authority, police and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

The event would feature a total of 34 sports, including both Olympic and non-Olympic games — from archery and athletics to rowing and rugby. The Sindh government has set up committees to ensure international standards, proper logistics, accommodation and media coverage for the event.

After crisscrossing the nation, the iconic flame would make its triumphant return to Karachi for the Grand Opening Ceremony at the National Stadium on December 6 to be presided over by President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. The thrilling week of competition would culminate in the closing ceremony on December 13 with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif as the chief guest.