PM Shehbaz Sharif approves committee for the 2026 South Asian Games

The multi-discipline event is scheduled to take place in January 2026

LAHORE:

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved a high-level committee for the 14th South Asian Games to be hosted by Pakistan from January 23 to 31 next year. 

The games were meant to be held in 2021, but they were delayed because of Covid-19, later the date was moved to 2025, but now they will take place in January 2026.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will head the committee. 

The meeting of the committee members is expected to take place in Islamabad on Monday. 

According to sources, the meeting will review the possible plans and preparations for the games, these details will also include the total the expenses of the games, sports infrastructure, and security will also be considered. 

The committee will formulate its final recommendations on holding the games. 

Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Rana Sanaullah, Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, President Pakistan Olympic Association Arif Saeed, and Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan have been included. 

Representatives of law enforcement agencies and chief ministers are also part of the committee. 

Federal secretaries of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, Finance Ministry, and Ministry of Interior are also part of the committee. 

Earlier this year in February, the Executive Committee of the South Asia Olympic Council (SAOC) concluded a highly productive meeting in Lahore, which marked a significant progress in preparations for the 14th South Asian Games.

It was chaired by Arif Saeed, President SAOC and National Olympic Committee (NOC) Pakistan, and the meeting reinforced the collective commitment of South Asian NOCs to fostering regional sports development and strengthening cooperation through sports. 

The press release issued by SAOC also revealed that the meeting in February there were discussions highlighted how the region’s athletes, Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra, brought South Asia into the global spotlight at Paris 2024 by winning medals in javelin throw — an achievement that not only inspired the youth of the subcontinent but also underscored the power of sports in promoting peace, unity, and shared aspirations across borders.

However, this was all before Pakistan and India went on war with one another in May. 

If all goes well, the South Asian Games are poised to feature athletes from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, hosts Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.