September 13, 2006	Wednesday	Sha'aban 19, 1427

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LAHORE, Sept 12: A total of 1733 players and officials will take part in the 2nd Inter-provincial games set to be staged here from Sept 16 to 18.

Secretary Punjab Sports Department, Naveed Akram Cheema told a press conference on Tuesday that 1204 men, 168 women players and 244 team officials would be representing four provinces in the games that will comprise 25 men and seven women disciplines. As many as 285 technical officials would conduct the events.

Naveed said men would feature in athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, bodybuilding, boxing, cycling, football, gymnastic, handball, hockey, judo, kabaddi, karate, tennis, net-ball, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, tug-of-war and wushu.

As for the women, competitions will be held in athletics, badminton, cycling, squash, table tennis, volleyball, and softball.

Punjab chief minister Chaudhary Pervez Elahi would declare the games open on Sept 16.

Naveed, flanked by Punjab Olympic Association secretary Khawaja Idris Haider said that the total expenditures for the games were estimated at Rs20 million. Rs7.5 million would be spent on organising the events while a big chunk of the amount — Rs12.5 million — have been earmarked for the opening and closing ceremonies for which a private event management company had been hired.

Asked why the opening and closing ceremonies were planned so lavishly compared to the events, he said it was mainly done to make the ceremonies attractive and to pull a good crowd for the sporting gala.