The first ever event in FATA where seminary students participate. PHOTO: EXPRESS
SHABQADAR: The first ever inter-seminary sports festival kicked off in Mohmand Agency on Sunday. Baizai sub-division Assistant Political Agent Abdullah Shah inaugurated the event by hitting a ball at Ghallanai Sports Stadium.
“Teams from 12 seminaries of Mohmand Agency are participating in the festival,” Shah said while speaking to journalists after the inaugural ceremony.
“This is the first ever sports festival of its nature organised in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata),” he added. “There was a dire need to organise such an event as seminaries tend to keep students away from such healthy activities,” he commented.
Shah briefed journalists, “After restoration of peace in the agency, the administration wants to remove fears amongst the youth. And sporting activities play an important part in maintaining peace in the region.”
Mohmand Agency sports manager Saeed Akhtar said, “We organised a sports festival this year; events like this were also held in the past in private and government run schools.” He said, “This event is not only the first of its kind in Fata but it is also a first of its kind in Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, Ehsanullah, a cleric from Ghallanai, said although seminaries provide indoor and outdoor sports activities to the students, this festival will help them develop a healthy spirit of competition.
He said, “By taking part, seminary students will prove that they are not behind school students in any discipline.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2015.
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