Inter-Provincial Games in Peshawar from March 18

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) backed and supported 4th Inter-provincial Games, being run under the umbrella of KP Olympic Association (KPOA), would see around 1600 athletes from all over country competing in 28 men and women sports.

The three-day Games to be contested by country’s leading athletes get under way in KP Provincial capital Peshawar from March 18.Unveiling the silent feature of the Games, President KPOA Syed Aqil Shah confirmed that POA had given go ahead to organize the Games backed and supported by the provincial government.

“I am pleased to inform you that the Games are getting under way in Peshawar from March 18. Around 1600 athletes plus 400 officials are expected to get involved in the Games.”Aqil Shah these days is busy holding meetings with the KP Government officials to make the event a real success.

“These Games are fully backed and supported by the KP Government. The provincial government has assured all support to make the Games a big success.”KP Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak has been requested to grace the opening ceremony as chief guest while Governor KP Iqbal Zafar Jhagra would be guest of honour on the closing ceremony.

Twenty eight sports to be contested during the Games include archery (men and women), athletics (men and women), badminton (men and women), baseball, basketball, boxing, bodybuilding, golf, gymnastic, handball, hockey, ju-jitsu, kabaddi, karate (men and women), rowing, rugby, shooting, softball (women), squash (men and women), swimming, table tennis (men and women), taekwondo (men and women), tennis, tug of war, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu (men and women).

Syed Aqil Shah confirmed that the sports of football, cycling (men and women) and judo would be included depending on the approval of POA in pursuance to the decision of its General Council.

“It is my earnest desire to include judo and cycling in the Games. I am in touch with the POA and hopefully would succeed in convincing premier Games body in the country to allow us to include two sports,” KP Olympic president Aqil Shah said.

The Games will be competed amongst the eight units of the country with four leading provinces Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and KP allowed to field 300 athletes each in the event.Fata, Islamabad, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan are also expected to field good number of athletes in the competition.