Punjab Sports and Youth Festival: Second stage begins from today

The second stage of the Punjab Sports and Youth Festival 2012, the Union Council level will start from September 8 with the finalization of the registration process and report of the participants in their respective Sports and Youth Development Councils.
Some of the remaining events of the Neighbourhood and Village level of the Punjab Youth Festival which were either marred by rain or late registration were conducted on Friday.
The events were held at Samanabad dongi ground and Govt Science College Wahdat Road. The competitions of billiard, badminton, tug of war and arm wrestling were held at Samanabad while naatkhani and qirat were conducted at Wahdat Colony.
In naatkhani and qirat competitions were held among participants of UC 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 116 and 132 while the UCs 91 and 108 took part in sports events.
However, the initiation of the events and competitions at 3464 union councils in the second stage will regularly be held from Monday in Lahore on the basis of registration and influx of participants while the events in other parts of the province will start from today (Saturday).
Director General Sports Board and Youth Affairs Usman Anwar informed that a number of 30 events in five sectors have been detailed in this level of the Festival. “Two of the sectors are for general public, the same number is for education sector while the fifth is the sports sector,” he said.
In sports sector there are 11 sporting events to be contested including arm wrestling, which have three categories, athletics (eight categories), badminton, billiard, cricket tape ball, tug or war, volleyball, bodybuilding (also have three categories), football, fun race of 2.5 kilometres and weightlifting (three categories).
The director general further informed that the spectrum of the activity is widened to have involvement of more youngsters and general public in this level and develop a sense of understanding towards better health and the need of sports and exercise in one’s daily life.
Elaborating the other four sectors, Usman Anwar said that general public individual events have naatkhani, qirat ad cooking while family event includes cooking, family dressing, healthy baby competitions and kitchen gardening.
As of education sector, he said that it is further divided into two sections which is elementary schools males and elementary schools females. “In both males and females schools level competitions will be held debate, essay writing, millinaghme, naatkhani, painting andqirat and for the purpose education department has been roped in for the proper and smooth conduct of the events,” he maintained.
The registration of the participations is continuing at the union counciloffices and is also being done online at SBP website www.sportsportal.punjab.gov.pk.“Although the last date of registration was September 6 but it is continuing to keep everyone involved.
He further said that a proper set up has been developed to give the youth an opportunity to show their skills and there talent will be preservedfor the future.
He said that selection committee under the supervision of a jury committee is shortlisting the teams of different districts from among 3,36,560winners of 15,00,000 participants of the Neighbourhood and Village level to compete in the Union Council level. The events of this level will conclude on September 18 and will be followed by the Tehsil level competitions.