PM inaugurates Fata Youth Sports Festival

PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday inaugurated the 3rd edition of Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Fata Youth Sports Festival at the Jamrud Sports Complex in Khyber Agency.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the prime minister said that sports were necessary for a healthy growth and every youth should take active part in sports activities.He added that peace had been restored to the tribal areas as a result of matchless sacrifices rendered by the personnel of law enforcement agencies and tribespeople. He said that the today’s event was evident to the fact that peace had been restored to tribal areas. The PM said that the government would provide equal opportunities to the tribal youth to enable them play their role in the nation-building.

“The tribal youth have the right to be given the facilities and opportunities like any other youth of the county,” he added.Abbasi said the government was committed to provide enhanced educational opportunities to the tribal areas to promote educational activities there. He added that after restoration of the peace the government was focusing on promotion of education in tribal areas.

He said that the government would construct one university in each tribal agency to enable the youth to get higher education.Earlier, in his welcome address Governor Engineer Iqbal Zafar Jhagra welcomed the chief guest.

He said there was no dearth of talent in tribal areas but the youth needed proper opportunities to exhibit their talent.The Frontier Regions Bannu defeated the Kurram Agency team in the opening tug-of-war match 2-0.

As many as 3,000 Fata youth from seven tribal agencies including North and South Waziristan, Kurram, Orakzai, Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur agencies and six Frontier Regions including Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Kohat and Peshawar would take part in 25 different sports categories during the five-day event.The gala was aimed at portraying the soft image of tribal areas to the rest of the world besides giving due opportunities to the youth to show their hidden talent.

Volleyball, football, judo, cricket, badminton, baseball, table tennis, karate, tug-of-war, hockey, athletics, weightlifting, taekwondo, wushu, bodybuilding, netball, boxing, archery would be played during the festival.

Most of the games will be played at the Peshawar Sports Complex while only six games will be held in different agencies.Earlier, balloons and pigeons were released which was followed by traditional Khattak, Mehsud and Chitrali dances. A large number of people were also present on the occasion. School children also displayed martial arts and gymnastic.

State Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Ghalib Khan, MNA Haji Bismallah Jan, Shahjee Gul Afridi, Nasir Khan Afridi, Additional Chief Secretary Fata Sikander Qayyum, Secretary Admin Mian Muhammad, Political Agent Khyber Capt (r) Khalid Mehmood, DG Sports Fata Muhammad Nawaz Khan, officials-bearers of Fata Olympic Association, tribal elders, players and a large number of spectators were also present.