LAHORE: Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Secretary General Khalid Mahmood has said that the 33rd National Games were being held to spread message of peace, tolerance and harmony in every nook and corner of the country.

Talking to the media after the National Games torch reached here, Khalid said it was for the first time in country’s sports history that the torch was traveling across the country.

Earlier, Pakistan Olympic Association torch committee’s Chairman Mohammad Abid Qadri handed over the torch to Punjab Olympic Association (POA) Secretary General Khawaja Idrees Haider at the Lahore Airport.

The 33rd National Games will be held in Peshawar between October 26 and November 1.

Presidents, secretaries of various sports bodies and players were present on the occasion. The torch reaches Islamabad on on Sunday.

Khawaja Idrees Haider informed the media that the National Games torch would be taken to the Delhi Gate on Wednesday where a glittering ceremony would be held at Wazir Khan Mosque on Oct 9 at 3:00pm. He said Provincial Secretary Sports Nadeem Mehboob would be the chief guest on the occasion.

The journey of the National Games torch had started from Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi before it travelled to Quetta and finally to Lahore.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2019