Indian Punjab sports official confirm four teams participation in PYF

Lahore: Indian Punjab Sports Secretary Param Jeet Singh has on Thursday confirmed the participation of four Indian Punjab teams in the Punjab International Sports Festival 2012 to be held in November.

Addressing a press conference here at the Conference Hall of the Sports Board Punjab, Param said that Deputy Chief Minister Indian Punjab Sardar Sukbir Singh Badal will be leading the Indian delegation of 55 sports officials and the business community.

Deputy Speaker Punjab Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, who is the chief organizer of the Punjab Youth Festival, Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Usman Anwar and  were also present on the occasion.

Param informed that the 55-member sports contingent of Punjab will include the players of hockey, mat wrestling, kabaddi and tug of war.

He further said that the visit of their players and business community to Lahore will develop harmony and open up new door of peace and cordial relations.

“The exchange of players and business people is the effort of the chief ministers of both the countries who frequently talk on different issues.

“The first step of talks was initiated between the two CMs at Attari and it was then the Deputy Chief Minister was asked to visit Lahore for and further develop the relations,” he said.

Param further added that he has seen festival at federal level and a state holding such an activity and on such a big scale is a thing of great praise and also expressed his hope next time the Pakistan teams will give Indian Punjab a chance to host them.

“It is necessary for both the Punjabs to have frequent sports exchanges for the revival of our traditional games. We organized World Kabaddi and it cannot be successful without the participation of Pakistan team,” he added.

He further said that they have already extended invitation to Pakistan for World Kabaddi Tournament to be held in December.

In his views, Rana Mashhood said that the Punjab Youth Festival was the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif who wanted the revival of sports in the province. “It was the hardwork of Sports Board Punjab team and the volunteers which is now paying off,” he added.

Rana Mashhood on behalf of Mian Shahbaz assured full security to the Indian Punjab teams.

“The Punjab Youth Festival is the principal clause of the Punjab Youth Policy under which the CM wanted to engage the youth in different healthy activities,” he maintained.