Nowshera Sports Festival concludes at colourful ceremony

NOWSHERA: The Nowshera Sports Festival came to an end on Thursday at a colourful ceremony after attracting a large number of people.

The closing ceremony was arranged at the Farooq Stadium where the sportspersons were awarded for participating in 20 games. The chief guests were Member Provincial Assembly Ibrahim Khattak and Nowshera Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan. Additional Deputy Commissioner Noor Wali Khan, District Officer Finance Zahid Khan, Assistant Commissioner Talha Zubair, Deputy District Education Officer Abdur Rehman and District Sports Officer Jamshed Baloch attended the concluding ceremony as well.Scores of sportspersons attended the sports gala, which lasted seven days on different grounds. Cricket, hockey, football, volleyball basketball, badminton, table tennis, tug-of-war, gymnastic, martial art, athletics, bodybuilding contests were arranged during the festival. The winner and the runner-up teams were given away trophies, cash prizes, medals and certificates on the occasion. The organisers received shields and certificates.The sportspersons displayed martial art and gymnastic skills. The singers and musicians entertained the audience with cultural dances folk music, winning appreciation. Speaking on the occasion, MPA Ibrahim Khattak and Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan greeted the organisers for successfully holding the Nowshera Sports Festival.

The chief guests said it was a mega event arranged in the district on a short time notice. They thanked the Education Department and director-general of Sports, especially District Sports Officer Jamshed Baloch, for the cooperation.The deputy commissioner announced that sports events would be arranged throughout the district and these would include traditional games associated with the Pakhtun Culture.

The official said all the district sports associations had been directed to prepare the six months sports events plan in this regard, adding elaborate plan had been chalked out to support the national and provincial level players.MPA Ibrahim Khattak, who is also Provincial Youth Convener, said sports festival would be organized in the KP Assembly constituency PK-61. He said he would encourage the sportspersons with support from Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak.