ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the Kamyab Jawan Sports Drive here at Pakistan Sports Complex on Monday, which will see 6000 aspiring athletes take part.
A news release issued by the Prime Minister Office stated that the country’s “first-ever mega sports event” will conclude on Dec 9 with 3300 boys and 2700 girls of various universities from across the countries competing.
At a news conference here at the Pakistan Sports Complex, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that sports could help the country’s youth utilise their potential in constructive and healthy way.
“The participation of athletes between the ages of 15-25 is highly positive,” said Fawad, sitting alongside Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Dr. Fehmida Mirza and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar. “Sports had been on the decline, as the economy was declining, but now things are improving.”
Dr Fehmida added that the whole of next year would be celebrated as a sports year while Usman said that the event will provide a platform for the youth which does not have access to sporting infrastructure.
“The Government of Sindh should also extend support to Kamyab Jawan Program,” he added.
In a news release, the Higher Education Commissions said that events will be held in fifteen different disciplines including athletics, hockey, football, squash, boxing, judo, tennis, handball and volleyball.
All events will be held at Jinnah Stadium as well as different gymnasiums and other venues of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Pakistan Sports Board director general retired Col Asif Zaman told Dawn that after the event, “talented players would be provided more opportunities to excel at national and international levels.”
OWEN-LED VENTURE TEAMS UP
Also on Sunday, a news release issued by Global Soccer Ventures — which is aiming to launch a franchise football league in the country — announced a partnership with the Kamyab Jawan Sports Drive.
Usman said at the news conference that with former England striker Michael Owen being the brand ambassador of GSV, this partnership will help take Pakistan’s football talent to the international level.
GSV said that it will bring the prime minister’s vision to “mobilise the youth into football with an international professional football gateway” to life with a “nationwide grass-root talent hunt programme in Pakistan conducted under a UEFA-licensed coaching team from Europe” from next month.
“The much-anticipated iconic stadium and GSV’s flagship soccer city will be unveiled soon integrated with sports science,” it added. “GSV’s strategic intent is to work with the heartbeat of youth and working hand-inglove with the educational institutes, forging a strategic alliance with the Kamyab Jawan.”
Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2021
