Olympic Day celebrated with key message of environment protection

KARACHI: Pakistan Olympic Association’s (POA) Environment Commission organised a colorful programme here at the KMC Sports Complex to commemorate the Olympic Day on Thursday.

Hockey Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui, Olympian boxer Malang Baloch, KDA Director General Syed Muhammad Ali Shah, South Asian karate gold medallist Kulsoom Hazara, national boxer Razia Bano, POA vice-president Fatima Lakhani, Member POA Women Commission Tehmina Asif, Sindh Olympic Association’s (SOA) secretary Ahmed Ali Rajput, KSF chairman Asif Azeem, President Waseem Hashmi, Fruit Nation’s Faisal Khan, KDA Member Finance Shujaat Hussain, Director Sports Ayaz Munshi and paralympic athletes participated.

A special cake, carrying the Olympic logo, was also cut on the occasion.The guests also planted some saplings as part of Green Pakistan initiative in order to combat the pollution. Special children also enjoyed a match.

Islahuddin Siddiqui said that the Olympics celebrations are an old tradition originated in Greece and the objective of Olympics is to bring people from around the globe together from diverse origins at one platform and to highlight the importance of sports in promoting inter-faith harmony, peace and prosperity in the society at local and global level through sports.

He congratulated the Environment Commission on holding such a grand programme, adding the overwhelming participation by sports persons and representatives of various sports bodies indicate that they want to promote sports and healthy activities in the city.

KDA Director Syed Muhammad Ali Shah said that the Olympic Day celebrations are to spread the message to seeking togetherness, highlighting the power that sport has to build a better world by bringing people together in peace and harmony. “As part of this people are encouraged to move together for peace through a range of local and international activities,” he said.

Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Environment Commission Member Tehmina Asif said that the patronage by civic bodies like the KDA and KMC for sports is a welcome omen.

“Time has come to highlight the importance of greenery and create awareness about tree plantation among youth so that we could control the environmental pollution in the country”, she said.

Later Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui, Syed Muhammad Ali Shah and Fatima Lakhani distributed gifts among Olympians, international athletes and special children.

The programme was part of the series of activities organised by the POA in different cities across the country in connection with International Olympic Day which was celebrated on June 23 throughout the world.