PESHAWAR – Amidst absence of audience and game lovers on the first day of 31st National Games, a number of sports events were held at different venues in Peshawar, Islamabad, Mardan and Abbottabad.
Since early Sunday morning, hundreds of game lovers, mostly youngsters from all over Khyber PK, assembled on main entrance to Khan Qayyum Stadium at Peshawar Saddar. However, they were didn’t allow to enter on what the custodian of law and order claim “security grounds.”
The organisers have earlier issued cards and passes to the audience but issuance of such passes halted on December 23 last. Provincial Sports Minister Syed Aqil Shah has already made objection over policies of the police and other law enforcing agencies. The Khan Qayyum Stadium is surrounded by contingents of law enforcing agencies whereas all surrounding roads are closed for traffic.
On the second day of 31st National Games, Army, PAF, WAPDA defeated their rivals in volleyball, while Police, Wapda and Khyber PK won their matches in Netball, Squash and Women Table Tennis respectively
In netball (women) event, Pakistan Police women team defeated Balochistan by3-0 while Sindh team defeated Khyber PK team by 23-6.
The matches were held at Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Sports Complex. In other matches Punjab defeated Wapda 31-23 while Army downed Khyber PK 44-20.
In squash event, Amir Atlas and Farhan Zaman of Wapda defeated their opponents. The matches were played at Hashim Khan PAF Squash Complex. Amir Atlas won his game by defeating Hamza Bukhari of Punjab while Farhan Zaman defeated his rival Murtaza of Balochistan. Safeerullah of
PAF won his game by defeating Saifullah Kakar of Balochistan. Waqar Mehboob of Khyber PK defeated Sindh player Azam Khan while his brother Farhan Mehboob defeated Aurangzeb of Punjab.
Wapda and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa table tennis teams dominated on the fist day by defeating their rivals Islamabad and Punjab. The matches were played at the Pakistan Sports Board Coaching Center. The Wapda team was consisting of Loiza, Ayesha Iqbal and Mehmooda, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s team players were Farzana, Zainab and Shumaila Tajik. Punjab’s team comprising Aysha Javid, Alia and
Iqra and Islamabad’s Nosheen, Ayesha Sadiq and Shumaila. Wapda beat Islamabad by 3-0, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa defeated Punjab by 3-2, Wapda beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 3-0, Islamabad outclassed Punjab 3-1, Wapda-Punjab-3-0, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa downed Islamabad-3-1.
Three matches were played in the volleyball event, in which the first match was played between Wapda and the host Khyber PK, which the former won 25-17, 26-24 and 25-16. In the second match, Army defeated Police team by 25-21, 25-15 and 25-12. The PAF won against Navy by 25-21,25-23 and 25-18.
A large number of spectators were present at the venue, who, clapped and cheered for the players for their best smashes and playing. The matches were played at the PSB.
Navy beat Railways 3-1 in the football event. The second match remained drawn between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and PAF by 1-1. The National Games will continue till December 31.
Security blanket a bane for fans, athletes
