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By Ijaz Ahmad
The historical and most awaited 33rd National Games got under way amidst great fun and enthusiasm with more than 10,000 athletes are taking part in 32 male and 27 female.
Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan was the chief guest on this occasion who formally inaugurated the Games. Corps Commander Peshawar Lt. Gen. Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood, Senior Minister Atif Khan, President Pakistan Olympic Association Lt. Gen (Retd) Arif Hassan, Secretary Khalid Mehmood, President KP Olympic Association Syed Aqil Shah, Secretary Sports Kamran Rehman, Additional Secretary Sports, Tourism, and Youth Affairs Babar Khan, Director General Sports Asfandyar Khan Khattak, former World Champions and legendary Jansher Khan, Jehangir Khan, Qamar Zaman, Olympian Manzoor Ul Hassan, Olympian Rahim Khan, Internationals Habib Ur Rehman, Bahre Karam, Dr. Salahuddin, Muhammad Iqbal, Olympian Naveed Alam, Organizing Secretary of the Games Zulfiqar Ali Butt and large number of spectators were also present.
A total of 10,000 athletes from 14 different units including Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, Punjab, Pakistan Police, Sindh, Balochistan, Wapda, Railways, HEC, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and host Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are taking part in the mega event.
The Games is costing cost Rs 220 million which aimed at to portray a soft image of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in rest of the world. “We are peace loving and believe in peace and through this mega national games, we are giving a message of peace to the rest of the world,” Muhammad Atif said in brief talks soon after arrival.
The Games started with the recitation from Holy Quran by Nayyub Rasawar Shah, followed by a melodious Naat Sharif by Rumasa and Kashmala. Soon after the teams participated in a Smart March Past, followed by a well-prepared National Anthem and thus the Torch that cross almost 2480 kilometer entered into the main area.
President POA Arif Hassan requested the chief guest to announce opening of the Games, followed by the entering of the Torch to the main arena. International cyclist Haleema Ghayoor was the first entered on her cycle into the main arena by holding the Torch and handed over to international taekwondo eight year old Aysha, special player Zainab, former international athlete and four times gold medalist Bahre Karam, Asad Iqbal, two times gold medalists Khalid and 1968 Olympic Olympian Qazi Salahuddin lit the flame. Soon after lit-up the Olympic Flame, a colourful firework demonstrations were also held which largely enjoyed the jamp-pack spectators and players. International Badminton player and Pakistan No. 1 Murad Ali, Hockey international Shafqat Ullah, and international Technical Official Tehsin Ullah took oath on behalf of the players, coaches and judges.
There was a match-less para-jumping by the troopers of the Army Para-Military Club who jump from the 10,000 feet and nicely landed into the main ground of the Qayyum Sports Complex. International fame Salman of Jazba Janoon presented two melodious national songs Dil Dil Pakistan, Ya Jazba Janoon which turned the whole complexion into a melodious one. The children of the Agriculture Model School also presented a good number of “Is Parcham ke Sai Talay Hum Aik Hain” which largely enjoyed by capacity crowd present on this occasion.
The Games would continue till Nov 16 with final and prize distribution ceremony will be held on the same day at 2.00 p.m. International-standard facilities at Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex, Charsadda, Hayatabad Sports Complex, Peshawar Jamrud Sports Complex, Khyber District, and Peshawar Sports Complex and Abbottabad Sports Complex. It is worth mentioning here that KP got the honor of holding these Games for the 7th times earlier KP organized these Games in 1958, 1974, 1982, 1990, 1998 and 2010