Josh Games: A sporting event that transcends set criteria

Participants from different regions will take part in the ‘JOSH Games Pakistan 2011’.

ISLAMABAD:

A three-day sport event aimed to promote cultural diversity, pluralism and to celebrate regional harmony, will kick off at the Islamabad Sports Complex on Friday.

The event ‘JOSH Games Pakistan 2011’ is being organised by Agha Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan and is going to be the first of its kind at the national level.

The three-day event includes different sports such as cricket, football, volleyball, badminton, table tennis and athletics, in which the youth, senior citizens and physically-impaired people will participate.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Honorary Secretary Agha Khan Youth and Sports Board Abedeen Hussain said about 800 athletes from across the country are participating in the event, including senior citizens and physically-impaired people.

Emphasising on the aim behind the event, Hussain said these activities have been especially planned for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Nawaz Ali, 71, a senior citizen who has came all the way from Karachi, with his wife, to participate in the event said, “I set aside everything and rushed to Islamabad to take part in the competition as I love to walk.”

Father of three children and having won two gold medals in October this year in a walk competition held in Karachi, Ali will be participating in a 400 meter and 800 meter walk.

Hussain commented that this is the first time regional athletes will compete with each other on national level and the winners will then get a chance to participate international competitions.

The participants will bear their travel expenses themselves; however their accommodation, food has been sponsored by the board.

Besides sportsmen, people from various walks of life will be volunteering at the event providing logistical support such as communication, administration and information technology among various other fields.

History

The year 2007 marked the golden jubilee celebration of Agha Khan’s imamat, in celebration of which he commissioned a number of international programmes, sports being one of them. A sports meet was also organised in Kenya in which teams across the globe participated.

Therefore, in line with these celebrations, the winners of the competition will participate at the international level as a continuation of the sports project which is part of the golden jubilee celebrations, added the honorary secretary.

The opening ceremony of the event will be held on Friday morning with President Aga Khan Council for Pakistan, Iqbal Walji as the chief guest.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2011.