Sports Reporter
Peshawar: The Merged Districts Under-16 Games will commence from February 9, with all necessary arrangements finalized. The event will be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi at Jamrud Sports Complex.
This was stated by Director Sports Tribal Districts Umar Arshad Khan while speaking to the media. He said the games will feature competitions in cricket, football, volleyball, basketball, and hockey, with more than one thousand young players from the merged tribal districts taking part.
Umar Arshad Khan said that the Under-16 Games are being organized for the first time specifically for players from the tribal districts. The primary objective, he added, is to provide opportunities to young athletes at the grassroots level, help them refine their skills, and prepare them to represent the country with distinction in the future.
He further announced that in the second phase, talent hunt and talent grooming programs will be launched across various sports disciplines. These initiatives aim to identify hidden talent from the merged districts and provide systematic training and development pathways.
The Director Sports stated that, on the special directives of the Chief Minister, development work on modern sports complexes is underway across all merged districts under the supervision of Advisor to Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Taj Muhammad Tarand. He said six sports complexes are nearing completion, while two additional complexes have been included in the Annual Development Programme. In addition, sports facilities are currently available at 39 different locations in the merged districts.
He added that future plans include the organization of women’s games, inter-madrasa games, and minority games in the merged districts to ensure equal access to sports opportunities for all segments of society.
Umar Arshad Khan also informed that, during the first phase, competitions were held at the district level, followed by transparent player selection through regular trials at the divisional level. According to the finalized schedule, cricket matches will be held at Hayatabad Sports Complex, football matches at Tahmas Khan Football Ground, hockey and basketball matches at Peshawar Sports Complex, while volleyball matches will be played at Pakistan Sports Board Hall.
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