The Pakistan Day Sports Festival, hosted by the Balochistan government’s sports department, is in full swing across the province, featuring a range of competitions such as futsal, wushu, and basketball.
The futsal tournament kicked off at QDA Ground in Satellite Town, Quetta, with Parliamentary Secretary and Pakistan Peoples Party leader Liaquat Ali Lehri as the chief guest. Basketball matches started at the Pakistan Sports Board Quetta Center under the inauguration of Balochistan Olympic Association General Secretary Sher Mohammad Tareen, while wushu competitions are underway at Ayub Sports Complex’s Martial Arts Gymnasium.
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Six teams from Quetta are competing in the basketball tournament, and 35 wushu athletes are showcasing their skills across seven weight divisions.
The opening ceremony of the futsal tournament drew a large crowd, including organizing committee members Abdul Baqi and Mohammad Sadiq, as well as an energized audience of spectators. Chief Guest Liaquat Ali Lehri interacted with the athletes and commended the festival for providing a platform to celebrate Pakistan Day and promote sports at the grassroots level.
Speaking to sports journalists, Lehri underscored the provincial government’s dedication to developing sports infrastructure, announcing plans to install artificial grass at QDA Ground in the next fiscal year under the PSD initiative. Despite ongoing security challenges, the impressive turnout of spectators highlighted the public’s enthusiasm for the event.
Lehri also emphasized the value of engaging youth in sports to help steer them away from harmful influences like drug use and inspire pride in the province and the nation. Additionally, he reiterated the government’s pledge to build more sports facilities for young athletes.
The futsal tournament runs through March 22, while the wushu finals are set to conclude today at Ayub Sports Complex.
