LAHORE - Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif officially inaugurated the ‘Khelta Punjab’ Inter-Division Games 2025, emphasizing her vision to revitalize playgrounds and actively engage the youth in healthy sporting activities. “I am immensely pleased to be among the youth and wish to see them excel in sports, education, and all fields of life,” she said this while addressing young athletes and sports administrators at Punjab Stadium on Thursday. The CM expressed her aspiration to witness champions emerging from every corner of Punjab, reinforcing her commitment to youth empowerment.
The first-of-its-kind ‘Khelta Punjab’ Games have now reached their final phase. The competition began with inter-club level contests across the province, followed by district-level matchups in the second phase. Now, in the third and final stage, top-performing athletes are competing at the divisional level to secure top honors.
CM Maryam commended Provincial Sports Minister Faisal Ayub Khokhar for organizing Pakistan’s largest sporting event, reaffirming her commitment to providing unlimited financial resources for sports development. “I have assured Sports Minister Khokhar that the government coffers will be open for the youth, whether the requirement is two billion or five billion rupees. Our young athletes have made their parents and country proud, and we will continue to invest in their future,” she declared.
Maryam Nawaz highlighted the revival of Punjab’s sporting infrastructure, saying that playgrounds once deserted are now thriving due to the government’s dedicated efforts to provide healthy opportunities for young athletes. A record-breaking 120,000 athletes have registered for the Khelta Punjab Games, demonstrating the massive potential of Punjab’s youth.
The CM proudly noted that Punjab has produced world-class champions, including Olympic javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and tennis ace Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi. With 65% of Punjab’s population comprising youth, she stressed the need for expanded opportunities to help them reach their full potential. The CM also announced that athletes excelling at the divisional level would be rewarded with free e-bikes. She also highlighted the government’s first-ever inter-club competitions, which saw 15,000 sports clubs registered.
Additionally, 30,000 young athletes have been awarded merit-based sports scholarships, while intern athletes are receiving a monthly stipend of Rs 60,000 under the government’s youth empowerment initiatives. She also stressed the importance of hiring international coaches, enabling Punjab’s athletes to compete at the global level and bring home medals for Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the Inter-Division phase of Khelta Punjab Games began with a colorful inaugural ceremony at Punjab Stadium on Thursday. The grand event was attended by top government officials, renowned athletes, and thousands of enthusiastic sports fans, marking the beginning of an exciting chapter in Punjab’s sporting culture.
Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, and Punjab Local Government Minister Bilal Yasin were the guests of honor. The ceremony was further graced by senior political figures, including Saiful Malook Khokhar, Ghazali Butt, MPA Hafiz Noman, MPA Shahbaz Khokhar, Commissioner Lahore Zaid bin Maqsood, Secretary Sports Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial, and DG Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal.
The opening ceremony featured a grand march-past of over 2,000 male and female athletes representing all divisions of Punjab under the leadership of their respective Divisional Sports Officers. The prestigious athletes’ oath was administered by Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi before the start of the competitions. One of the ceremony’s highlights was the torch relay, where promising young athletes Kinza Sarfraz, Kanzul Eman, Shandana, M Abdullah, Mahnoor Imran, and Shafiq Ali Khan ran with the torch before lighting the Khelta Punjab Games flame at Punjab Stadium.
Addressing the ceremony, Punjab Sports Minister Faisal Ayub Khokhar welcomed the Chief Minister, Parliamentarians, national sports heroes, and young athletes. He highlighted the Punjab government’s commitment to reviving sports culture and providing new opportunities for youth development.
“The CM Punjab announced the restoration of sports culture in her very first speech after assuming office. Today, we are witnessing the realization of that vision,” the Minister said. He emphasized the need for awarding sports marks to students at the school and college levels to promote sports culture and inspire young athletes to actively participate in competitive sports.
