Sports events planned as part of Independence Day celebrations

PESHAWAR: Directorate General Sports, in collaboration with Directorate Youth Affairs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, would organise several sporting events in the province as part of the 75th Independence Day celebrations, officials said on Thursday.

Director Operation Azizullah Jan and Deputy Director Sports Jamshed Baloch said that to celebrate the 75th Independence Day, events would be held in all districts across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Peshawar and Mardan.

They said that on August 13, Mixed Martial Arts competitions, musical night and fireworks will be held in Mardan, while on August 14, Tonga Race will be held at Peshawar Sports Complex in Peshawar. Also, there will also be other competitions including display of Vintage Car, Tonga Show, and rickshaw decoration show at the sports complex, while football, cricket, hockey, squash, badminton, swimming, table tennis and other sports competitions will be held from the morning of Independence Day.

All such sports events and flag hoisting ceremony will also be organised at Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex in collaboration with the district administration, DSO Charsadda and Directorate General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Jamshed Baloch said that there were events for the differently abled persons on August 13 in Mardan and on August 14 in Peshawar so that they could be able to have their part during the Independence Day celebrations.

Similarly, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cycling Association will hold Azadi Cycle Race competitions in all divisional headquarters of the province in connection with the 75th Independence Day.

The cycle race will start in the morning from the Northern Bypass in Peshawar on August 12. President KP Cycling Association Nisar Ahmed said that like every year, different races have been planned this year too.

Azadi Cycle Race will be organised in all the divisional headquarters, which include Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Swat, Hazara, Mardan and Peshawar Region. It will begin with a 14km road race to be held in Peshawar on August 12 at the Northern Bypass.

The cycle race would start at 7:30am on August 12, 2022. President Sarhad Chamber of Commerce Hasnain Khurshid will distribute certificates, medals and cash prizes to the players.