Quetta hosts national games after 19 years

Inaugurating the event, PM pledges to boost sports and honor athletes

QUETTA:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday assured that the federal government was committed to providing all possible resources for the promotion of sports and creating conducive opportunities for the youth of the country to excel in all genres of games.

Addressing an inaugural ceremony of the 34th National Games, the prime minister commended athletes for bringing pride to the nation, both domestically and internationally

The PM said that the national games were being held in the province after a lapse of 19 years. “Holding of the national games in this historic city manifests the national unity and strength and patriotism for the motherland,” he added.

He further observed that the young people of Pakistan possessed huge potential which could be utilized in different categories of games, so that they could further bring successes to the country.

Assuring the government’s complete support, he said in the past, they had distributed laptops, established Danish schools and promoted games, besides, awarding the high achievers.

He said in the field of sports, they were committed to providing all available resources to the youth because a nation became healthy if its youth were healthy.

The PM said that the spectre of terrorism in the past had affected the country with the terrorists mounting attacks on GHQ and Army Public School.

The armed forces and law enforcement agencies had decided to eradicate the menace with the support of the nation, he said, adding officers and personnel of the armed forces and law enforcing agencies and people from all segments of society offered huge sacrifices in that fight, so that the curse of terrorism could be crushed forever.

The PM said the whole nation saluted all those who faced terrorism bravely and offered sacrifices. They foiled the nefarious designs of the enemies who wanted destruction of the country, he added.

Referring to the May 9 incidents, the prime minister said a Pakistani could not harbour such a destructive thinking, but belonged to thinking of an enemy of the country.

He said on that day, miscreants torched Quaid’s (Corps Commander) House in Lahore like the terrorists had set Quaid’s Residency in Ziarat on fire.

The prime minister stressed that they should take steps within the confines of laws and constitution so that these incidents could not be repeated.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2023.