33rd National Games: Stakeholders meet to review preparations on September 16

KARACHI: All the stakeholders will meet in Peshawar on September 16 to review the preparations for the 33rd National Games slated to be held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from October 26 to November 1.

“We will meet in Peshawar on September 16 to discuss the preparations made for the National Games,” a senior official of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) told ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

The official said that the first session will be conducted by POA president Lt Gen (retd) Syed Arif Hasan in which various issues including technical will be discussed. The second session will be presided by the KP sports minister,” the official said.

KP government and KP Olympic Association have joined hands to conduct the biennial event in the most befitting way. The KP government has also approved a budget of Rs 170 million for holding the country’s mega event in which around 5000 athletes and officials will feature.

All the units affiliated with the POA have been extended invitations by the organising committee.

Quetta, earlier, was supposed to host the edition but it was shifted to KP as Balochistan failed to prepare in time. The Games, which were allotted to Quetta in 2012, also faced postponement several times due to security, infrastructure and financial issues.

Quetta, however, was given the option to hold the 34th edition whenever it gets ready. Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has been invited. But Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) and Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) have not received the invitation.