Asian Games gold medallist Pakistan women cricket team honoured at his Model Town office

Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif congratulated the Sports Board Punjab (SBP) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for their untiring efforts for the promotion of sports in the country, he was addressing the prize distribution ceremony organized in honour of Asian Games gold medallist Pakistan women cricket team at his Model Town office here on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister awarded cash prize of Rs 5 lakh to each member of national women team. The ceremony was attended by a large number of dignitaries including MNA Shaista Pervaiz Malik, MPAs Ms Hina Pervaiz Butt, Ms Tahia Noon, Mian Naseer Ahmed, PCB Chairman Shaharyar M Khan, Chairperson PCB Women Wing Bushra Aitzaz Ahsan, former Test cricketers Haroon Rasheed, Intikhab Alam, singer Waris Beg, Olympian Kh Junaid, snooker star Muhammad Asif besides Pakistan women cricket and men’s Kabaddi teams.

In his address, Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan sports were going in the right direction. “The enthralling performance of national Kabaddi team in England and India and gold medal winning performance of women team are clear evidences in this regard,” he added.

Chief Minister said that women cricket team has won laurels for the country by winning the gold medal in Asian Games. He said that the whole nation is proud of the splendid performance of the women cricket players. He said that women players are ambassadors of Pakistan and they have proved this fact through excellent team work on and off the field.

The Chief Minister said that he wants to construct cricket grounds especially for women in every division of the province. He said that Punjab government and Pakistan Cricket Board should evolve a joint plan with regard to constructing cricket grounds for women in nine divisions of the province. He said that Punjab government will bear all expenses in this regard. Shahbaz Sharif while allocating Model Town cricket ground for women on the demand of players of women cricket team directed concerned officials that this ground should be handed over to Cricket Board by tomorrow so that women players could start practice and play matches there.

Chief Minister particularly acknowledged the efforts of Sports Board Punjab for the growth of sports not only in the Punjab province but across the country. “Pakistan is going to host major international Kabaddi events like semifinals of Kabaddi World Cup and semifinals and final of World Kabaddi League later this year which is a major achievement by all means. Pakistan will host such a mega event for the first time in 18 years since 1996 cricket World Cup final between Australia and Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore”, he explained.

Chief Minister further said that it was the time to appreciate the victorious teams and encourage them for future tough challenges. He promised to build cricket ground in Model Town and in all nine divisions of Punjab province for the national women cricket team. “The govt will provide every possible facility to women cricketers throughout the province,” he asserted.

He asked the PCB leadership to invite the international cricket teams whenever they like and the Punjab govt will provide top level security to visiting teams.

Addressing the function, women cricket team Captain Sana Mir said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has always encouraged them. She said that Shahbaz Sharif had earlier also invited them and encouraged them and today he also honor them for which they are thankful to him. Chairman PCB Shehryar Khan and Chairperson Bushara Aitazaz also thanked Chief Minister over the encouragement of players. MNA Shaista Pervaiz Malik, Assembly Members Mian Naseer Ahmed, Tahia Noon, Hina Pervaiz, Secretary Information, Secretary Sports, DG Sports, players of Kabaddi team and players of various other games were present in large numbers.

Secretary Sports Punjab Muhammad Khan Khichi, earlier, presented the welcome address and apprised the guests of achievements of Pakistan women and kabaddi teams. “Our Kabaddi team and women cricketers really made the entire nation proud through their marvelous performances”.

Khichi applauded DG SBP Usman Anwar for his role in holding mega Punjab Youth Festival and International Youth Festival events quite successfully early this year. “The SBP has also a key role in establishing dozens of Guinness World Records and giving new life to a traditional game of Kabaddi in the region. A certificate from ISO for holding international level sports events is also a big achievement for SBP,” he added.

PCB Chairman Shaharyar M Khan and Chairperson PCB Women Wing Bushra Aitzaz Ahsan also spoke on this occasion and lauded the gold medal performance of national women cricket team.