PESHAWAR: After nearly a decade, Pakistan’s largest domestic sporting event, the National Games, were inaugurated in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Sunday with “Play for Peace” as its theme for the year and 8,000 players participating in 32 different disciplines.
The National Games in Peshawar were one of many national sporting events that were affected by security worries in a country that was hit by a series of militant attacks, including an ambush on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009. But almost 10 years on and following a series of army offensives to root out militancy, Pakistan’s biggest sporting event finally returned to Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province for its 33rd run.
Qayyum Stadium Peshawar is witnessing the colors of jubilation at the opening ceremony of 33rd National Games. (Photo Courtesy: PTI Twitter Account)
Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, accompanied by Corps Commander Peshawar Shaheen Mazhar and a coterie of other officials, kicked-off the mega event which is to continue until Nov. 6 at the Peshawar Sports Complex.
Besides Peshawar, the games will also be held in Mardan, Abbottabad, Charsadda, and Jamrud. Additionally, for the first time, the matches will be played in the newly-merged erstwhile tribal districts of KP as well.
“The Pashtun belt is wrongly portrayed in national and international media (as backward), and this diverse sports event will change that negative impression about KP, ” Atif Khan, Provincial Tourism and Sports Minister told Arab News.
“Residents of this region live like in any civilized nation. Our girls get an education, we do business and enjoy our lives in the form of playing different games... This unity and different colors are the symbols of a diverse and strong nation,” Khan said.
In order to support women athletes and encourage more participation, there are also 27 segments exclusively for women.
College student Haleema Ghayur is a cyclist from KP province and remained the undefeated national junior champion between 2016-17 after winning gold, silver and bronze medals in several competitions.
“Preparations have been finalized and I am ready to win the cycle competition for my province in this historic National Games,” Ghayur told Arab News, and added that peace had returned to the region, while she pointed toward the huge, cheering crowds, which she said, were “the beauty of Pakistan.”
Qayyum Stadium Peshawar is witnessing the colors of jubilation at the opening ceremony of 33rd National Games. (Photo Courtesy: PTI Twitter Account)
Former Sports Minister and Awami National Party stalwart, Aaqil Shah, said that the games were important to the province because games “bring people together.”
“We didn’t even stop holding sports events when militancy was at its peak. It brings the dispersed community together,” he said.
Seerat Pervaiz, 20, from Azad Kashmir has been boxing for the last three years.
At first, she said her family wasn’t happy with her choice of profession.
“During practice days, I would tell my family I am going out to exercise as they would not allow me otherwise,” Pervaiz said, adding that her parents thought boxing was too dangerous a game for a woman.
Qayyum Stadium Peshawar is witnessing the colors of jubilation at the opening ceremony of 33rd National Games. (Photo Courtesy: PTI Twitter Account)
“However, once they became familiar with the sport, they started to support me,” she said with a smile.
Mah Gul is another such example.
Gul is a commerce student at the University of Balochistan in Pakistan’s southwest and has been a karate player for the past three years.
She told Arab News that she was skeptical before coming to Peshawar as the region had been portrayed as dangerous. But once she became familiar with the place, she said, her views changed for the better.
“Karate is very popular in our parts [Hazara Town] and most of the women have learned the art,” said Gul, who along with other girls participating in the Karate category, said she’s enjoying Peshawar.
“Now, we are in love with this historic city,” she said.
