PSB, ACTIVIT mark Independence Day with sports gala
LAHORE: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), in collaboration with ACTIVIT, organised a multi-sport festival at the PSB Lahore Centre on Friday to mark Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day.
The festival featured competitions in boxing, cycling, football, weightlifting and wrestling, attracting participation from young athletes. The participants competed across the five disciplines, with the top performers receiving trophies and cash prizes.
In the cycling competitions, Kishwar Saleem claimed the gold medal in the professional women’s category, followed by Noor Chaudhry (silver) and Arooj (bronze). In the amateur women’s event, Shumail secured gold, Iffat Arif won silver and Noor earned bronze. The special kids’ category saw Kazam Abbas take gold, while Abdul Muhaymin and Nadeem Ahmed finished with silver and bronze respectively.
The RPW Freedom FightFest 2 boxing contests produced thrilling action, with Harry Prince defeating Rafay, Basit Aktan overcoming Talha Taram, and Mohsin Khan emerging victorious in a three-way contest against Altaf and Uzair. In the headline bout, Mateen Shahzad defeated Hayn Zar to become the new RPW Pakistan Champion. The weightlifting competition was won by Qasim Mushtaq, while Adil Butt and Haseeb finished second and third respectively.
PSB Lahore Centre Director Noorish Sabah attended the closing ceremony as chief guest, while ACTIVIT Ambassador Moazzam Khan Klair and Event Coordinator Amjad Khan were also present. The competitions were conducted by the respective sports associations under the supervision of the PSB Lahore Centre.
Addressing the participants, Noorish Sabah congratulated the winners and encouraged the athletes to continue working towards improving their performance. She said sporting activities provided young people with opportunities to develop discipline, confidence and a competitive spirit.
She also acknowledged the support provided by ACTIVIT CEO & Director National Hospital DHA Lahore, Rd. Rizwan Aftab Ahmed for the event and said greater private-sector involvement could help provide athletes with more opportunities to train and compete.
“We need more sponsors to come forward and support Pakistan’s athletes and sporting activities,” she said. “Greater support for sportspersons can contribute to the development of a stronger sports structure and help athletes compete at international and Olympic levels.”
Speaking on the occasion, Moazzam Khan Klair said Pakistan had considerable sporting talent but athletes needed sustained opportunities and support to develop. “Pakistan has no shortage of talent. What our athletes need is consistent, all-round support so they can fulfil their potential and compete successfully at international level,” he said.
