National Youth Sports Festival will commence from September 2012

Lahore:The world’s biggest National Youth Sports Festival will commence in Lahore from September 2012, in which, apart from all four provinces of Pakistan, sportsmen belonging to 22 countries of the world, will participate. In accordance with the vision of the Chief Minister Punjab, the festival will display original cultural colour of Pakistan and Punjab, throughout the world, whereas Pakistani sportsmen, living in streets and mohallahs, would be introduced at the international level.
These views were expressed by Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan at a press conference held at 90-Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam here today, which was attended by Provincial Minister for Planning & Development Ch. Abdul Ghafoor, MPA Haji Allah Rakha, Mian Nasir, Ajasim Sharif, Rana Iqbal, DG Sports Usman Anwar and Special Assistant to Chief Minister and Member Sports Council Punjab Zakir Hussain. In his Press Conference, Rana Mashhod informed that the Youth Festival, conducted two months ago on the directive of Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, was appreciated the world over, and now many other countries are also planning to hold such youth festivals, in their own countries as well. Rana Mashhood said that this international festival of sports has strictly been kept away from any kind of political interference or monopoly of few persons. He pointed out that a large number of sportswomen are also taking part in the festival, whereas hefty prizes have also been earmarked for participants as well as special persons. Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan further said that vigorous opportunities of recreation and sports are being made available to promote healthy activities in the younger generation, so that they shun negative activities like waywardness and violence. He informed that, as many as 196 sports events of different kinds, would be arranged in this international festival. He said that ground management committees for proper upkeep of sports grounds at the local level have been formed, which will protect and take care of these sports grounds. Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood said that a strict law is being promulgated to rid the sports grounds of present and future Qabza mafia, which will go a long way in promotion of healthy recreational and sports activities in street and Mohallah to city level in the province.