PESHAWAR, Dec 6: The 36th All Pakistan Inter-University Athletics Championship-2012 started at Qayyum Stadium here on Thursday. Athletes from 30 universities of the country are participating in the event organised by Sarhad University, Peshawar.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Sports Aqil Shah praised the management of Sarhad University for organising this major event in Peshawar. He assured full support to all universities, colleges and schools for organising sports competitions in Qayyum Stadium.

The minister said that whenever SAF Games were awarded to Pakistan, it would be Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s utmost endeavour to hold the same in Peshawar.

Meanwhile, world’s famous Japanese wrestler Mohammad Hussain Inoki has said that the warm welcome and hospitality extended by the dwellers of Peshawar to his 13-member wrestling team was a proof of the fact that people of this region were very hospitable and peace-loving.

This he said on Thursday during his visit to Government Higher Secondary School No. 1, Peshawar Cantt, and later speaking at a lunch hosted in honour of the Japanese team by sports minister Aqil Shah, said an official handout.

On arrival at the school the teachers and students garlanded Mr Inoki and his team members. Addressing students of the school, Mr Inoki said that the brightness in eyes of the students showed that they were very intelligent and talented.

Mr Inoki’s team members also played a friendly match of tug of war and wrestling with students of the school. National anthems of Pakistan and Japan were also played on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the sports minister said that Mr Inoki and his team of wrestlers had come to Peshawar for promotion of peace. He said that the purpose had been achieved by successfully holding the Inoki’s Wrestling for Peace Festival in Peshawar and portraying soft image of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the world.