PESHAWAR/BAJAUR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hockey Association (KPKA) president Syed Zahir Shah on Tuesday announced resumption of activities at the Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium with a four-match Independence Day series on August 13.

Talking to mediapersons here, he also advised all the players to report to the KP Hockey Association Academy coaches, Yasir Islam and Ziaur Rehman, on August 13 for selection in the teams for the series.

Mr Shah said the closing ceremony of the four-match series would be held on August 14.

He also directed all the district hockey associations affiliated with the academy to resume their activities and hold Independence Day matches.

Activities also resume at Bajaur Sports Complex

He said the last hockey match had taken place on March 18, and since then all activities had been stopped due to the outbreak of coronavirus on the directives of the provincial government. He said the players had to follow the SOPs issued by the provincial government through the sports directorate.

He also thanked Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, the director general sports, additional secretary sports and secretary sports for extending all-out support to the sports organisers, promoters and players.

Zahir Shah announced Astroturf facilities in seven districts, including Islamia College Peshawar.

Mr Shah paid homage to the doctors, paramedics and frontline workers for fighting the coronavirus pandemic upfront.

Meanwhile, the Bajaur Sports Complex was reopened to sports activities on Tuesday after remaining closed for five months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Officials of the district administration said the sports complex was formally opened by assistant commissioner Fazal Raheem at a brief ceremony.

The officials said the district administration reopened the sports complex in line with the directives of the provincial government after the federal government had lifted most of the Covid-19-induced restrictions across the country on Monday.

However, the officials said the sports fans and players would have to follow SOPs.

Meanwhile, large numbers of youths, players, sports fans and children visited the sports complex and played different games there. They welcomed the reopening of the complex for sports activities. They said they were glad to see that Bajaur Sports Complex had been reopened after remaining closed for about five months.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2020