Pakistan to learn from China to develop, promote winter sports: Fawad

Information minister says Pakistan keen to set up winter sports facilities in northern regions

BEIJING:

Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday has said that Pakistan is ready to learn from the Chinese experience to develop and promote winter sports in its scenic northern areas.

In an interview with the China Economic Net (CEN), the minister stated that Pakistan and China have good economic and strategic bonds, and now wanted to work on ties in the field of sports.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan invited Chinese companies to set up winter sports venues and facilities in Pakistan. The two countries now have more culture, sports and media interaction,” he said.

Speaking about the opening ceremony of the 24th Olympic Winter Games in Bejing, the minister said that the way the Chinese participants played with lights was mesmerising.

Read: PM’s China visit to reinforce strategic ties: Fawad

He maintained that the beautiful effects they had created with lights were something the world must learn from them.

Talking about Pakistan’s northern area, Fawad said it "is double than Switzerland in terms of size and has the world’s highest peaks that are suitable for winter sports but our winter sports are not up to the mark.”

The minister hoped that China will help Pakistan set up a framework for winter sports in that region so that this country could produce top athletes for winter games.

It is pertinent to note here that Pakistani athlete Muhammad Karim from Naltar, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), is the only skier participating in the Olympics this year and was also the only olympian to have participated in the past two winter games in Sochi, Russia and Pyeongchang, South Korea, as well.

Read More: PM Imran, President Xi review Pak-China bilateral cooperation in ‘historic meeting’

“The chief minister of G-B is very keen to set up winter sports facilities to make the northern area a hub of winter sports in Pakistan”, Fawad mentioned.

He further stated that the Pakistani contingent received a warm welcome from spectators upon their entry into the national stadium in Beijing, which showed love and respect for the country.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with other federal ministers attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4.