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LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti had a meeting with President Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) Ch Shafay Hussain in connection with upcoming Kabaddi World Cup 2020 at National Hockey Stadium on Friday.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh, Secretary PKF Rana Sarwar and other officials were also present on this occasion.
Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti and President Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) Ch Shafay Hussain discussed different issues relating to Kabaddi World Cup 2020 scheduled to be staged from February 9-16, 2020 at three venues of Punjab – Lahore, Faisalabad and Gujrat. The grand opening and closing ceremonies of the event are scheduled at Lahore’s Punjab Stadium.
During the meeting, Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said: “This is the first time that Pakistan is hosting the world kabaddi showpiece event. Holding Kabaddi World Cup in Pakistan is definitely a big honour for all of us. The game of kabaddi is quite popular among young generation in Punjab and that’s why the future of this game looked pretty bright in our country”.
Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti informed that ten countries including hosts Pakistan, India, Canada, Germany, Australia, England, Iran, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Azerbaijan will feature in the kabaddi World Cup. “The ten teams have been divided into two pools – A and B. The teams of India, Iran, Sierra Leone, England and Germany will make up the pool A while pool B is comprised of hosts Pakistan, Canada, Kenya, Australia and Azerbaijan”.
Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said the game of kabaddi will flourish in the region after this grand event and Pakistan’s soft image will also emerge in the world through this multinational mega event.
President Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) Ch Shafay Hussain, on this occasion said the forthcoming World Cup will give great boost to game of kabaddi in Pakistan. “Certainly, it will be a landmark event in the history of Pakistan”.
He expressed his hope that Pakistan players will offer excellent performance in the Kabaddi World Cup. “Pakistan has respectable place among kabaddi playing countries. We have won two silver medals in the past World Cup events”.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh, on this occasion said that Sports Board Punjab is making efforts to keep traditional games alive in Punjab. “Sports Board Punjab has also organised International Kabaddi Taakra in recent past in which the teams from India, Iran and Pakistan took part”.