MULTAN: The inaugural ceremony of the South Punjab School Olympics of 2021, SCHOOLYMPICS, the first-ever mega sports event in the region, will be held on Monday.

The event is being organised by the newly established School Education Department, South Punjab, in Dera Ghazi Khan in which more than 1,800 players and athletes — both boys and girls —from the 11 districts of the region would compete for medals in athletics, hockey, football, volleyball, badminton and table tennis in competitions spanning over for days.

Besides Additional Chief Secretary Saqib Zaffar, Dera Ghazi Khan Commissioner Sara Aslam and School Education Secretary of South Punjab Dr Ehtasham Anwar, the ceremony would be attended by Minister for School Education Dr Murad Raas, Provincial Minister for Energy Dr Akhtar Malik and Minster for Livestock Hasnain Dareshak.

Dr Anwar told Dawn that the SCHOOLYMPICS have been organised on the pattern of the Olympics to give the students a flavour and exposure of the largest sports event that takes place at the international level.

“Besides promoting healthy activities in the children and producing quality athletes and players, the SCHOOLYMPICS would also provide entertainment opportunities to a region which lags behind other parts of the country on many counts,” he said.

He said that a torch was lit-up on Oct 29 by legendary hockey player and Olympian Samiullah in Bahawalpur, which has travelled through all the districts of south Punjab and would reach the cricket stadium in Dera Ghazi Khan on Monday to mark the start of SCHOOLYMPICS.

“Players’ march past, PT show, daachi dance, Balochi dance, Jhoomar dance and musical performances would be the other highlights of the opening ceremony,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2021