Commissioner Bahawalpur kicks off NBP T-20 blind cricket tournament

Lahore : Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Saqib Zafar has said that blind cricketers have earned honour and glory for their motherland through their strong commitment and dedication for promoting competitive sports for special persons. He made these remarks while speaking as a Chief Guest at the inaugural ceremony of National Bank of Pakistan’s T-20 blind cricket tournament, here, today.

The ceremony was attended by Assistant Commissioner General Muhammad Waseem, Divisional sports officer Syed Mateen Shah, District sports officer Maqsood-ul- Hassan, sports officer Tallat Masood, Bank Officials, a large number of blind cricketers and spectators.

Blind cricket tournament is a practical testimony of Government's unflinching commitment of ensuring inclusive progress and development by institutionalizing the active, energetic, vibrant and robust participation of the special persons through various focused initiatives aimed at main streaming the persons with disabilities" Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Saqib Zafar noted.

Commissioner Saqib Zafar highly appreciated the sports initiatives of holding blind cricket tournament by the sponsors and the sports organizers at the Dring Stadium which would sharpen the pace of sports acculturation in Bahawalpur Division.

Chairman Pakistan Blind Cricket council Syed Sultan Shah said that this sports event stands as the biggest blind cricket tournament in Pakistan. He further said that 12 teams from around the country are participating in this tournament which includes: – Karachi, Quetta, Islamabad, Okara,Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Abbot Abad, Azad Kashmir and PBCC bank star teams. He further maintained that as many as 2 thousand and 5 hundred blind cricketers have been playing cricket in Pakistan and this tournament is aimed to select 16 players for national blind cricket team which would participate in India T-20 blind cricket tournament 2017.

He highly appreciated Commissioner Bahawalpur’s keen interest and patronage for turning the vision of holding blind cricket tournament into reality.