PESHAWAR: Pakistan has decided to invite Afghanistan to participate in its national games to be held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the end of October.

“Afghanistan will be invited to take part in the national games to strengthen the friendship narrative of Pakistan at international level,” declared an official statement issued here on Tuesday after Chief Minister Mahmood Khan chaired a meeting on arrangements for the 33rdedition of the inter-provincial sports event slated to begin on Oct 21.

The statement said the national games would help prepare players for the South Asian Federation Games to be held in Dec this year.

Around 10,000 players to take part in event starting in October

Pakistan National Games chairman retired Lt-General Arif Hassan informed participants that the holding of the one-week long sport event in scenic areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would help promote tourism in the region.

He said from 8,000 to 10,000 players from all over the country would take part in 22-28 games.

Also in the day, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced that Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate the national games, while President Dr Arif Alvi would attend its concluding ceremony as the chief guest on Oct 27.

Senior minister for sports Atif Khan told reporters that the provincial government, Pakistan Olympic Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association and directorate of sports had got together to ensure the smooth holding of the national games.

Accompanied by retired Lt-General Arif Hassan, sports secretary Kamran Rehman, Tourism Corporation of KP managing director Junaid Khan and DG (sports) Asfandyar Khan, the minister said 12,000 athletes representing Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, Punjab, Pakistan Police, Sindh, Balochistan, Wapda, Railways, HEC, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would take part in the Rs170 million event projecting a soft image of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the world.

“We are a peace-loving nation and believe in peace. We want to give out a message of peace to the world by holding this mega event,” he said.

The minister said the province had sports facilities of international standard, including Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex in Charsadda, Hayatabad Sports Complex in Peshawar and Peshawar Sports Complex, and wanted to hold some games in the merged tribal districts.

“Initially, two venues have been selected in the merged tribal districts, one in Khyber and other in North Waziristan. Khyber’s multi-purpose Jamrud Sports Complex and North Waziristan’s Younis Khan Stadium can host events of the national games. We will provide players with the best possible facilities to make the event memorable,” he said.

The minister also said invitations would be sent to Afghanistan and other neighbouring countries through the Foreign Office in line with the International Olympic Committee’s motto of spreading peace through games.

Retired Lt-General Arif Hassan said talks with Olympic associations of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, China, Bangladesh and India were under way for participation in the national games and hopefully, they would produce a positive outcome.

He said the Pakistan Army would provide security to players and officials.

Revealing the Pakistan Olympics Association has assured the government of Balochistan of the holding of the 34thedition of national games, he expressed the hope that all required infrastructure would be in place in Quetta by the start of the next event.

TOURISM PROMOTION: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was set to become a tourist hub in the country due to the government’s efforts.

Chairing the fourth meeting of the task force on tourism, he directed all departments concerned to take initiatives for maximising the flow of tourists to the province and their facilitation.

The chief minister directed the health department to ensure availability of doctors and medicine in all BHUs and RHCs along with provision of mobile health facilities in the tourist destinations in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Swat and Chitral in the summer season.

He also ordered the availability of rescue services in tourist areas to handle emergencies.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2019