Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif will inaugurate the newly-constructed Hockey Stadium at Johar Town today (Thursday) while an exhibition hockey match between Pakistan Whites and Greens will mark the formal opening of the 1500-capacity venue.
Addressing a press conference here at the National Hockey Stadium, Chief Organiser Punjab Youth Festival and Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan said that last year when several venues and grounds were cleaned to prevent the dengue attack, the Punjab government and Sports Board Punjab identified around 4500 grounds in the province and similarly several places were also spotted in Lahore.
Also present on the occasion were Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Usman Anwar and chairman managing committee new hockey stadium Olympian Akhtar Rasool. The committee also comprises DG Sports and DG LDA.
“It was the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif to see the sports facilities develop in the province and as part of the plan a state of art stadium has been established at Johar Town,” he maintained.
“After the conduct of the first six phases of the Punjab Youth Festival and Guinness World Records, we are moving a step ahead,” he added.
“Akhtar Rasool has been appointed as head of the managing committee of the stadium where the camp training of the national hockey team for Champions Trophy is also going to be conducted after its inauguration,” he added.
“We have set a benchmark by developing grounds, holding sports and youth activities and now preparation are underway to conduct the Punjab International Sports Festival,” he added.
“Around 41 countries will be taking part in the International Festival and its going to be the biggest sporting event of the country and will also be participated by the Deputy CM of Indian Punjab,” he said.
Rana Mashhood further added the visit of the foreign teams to Pakistan is a turning point and it is the first hockey stadium after the establishment of the National Hockey Stadium.
He further said that a committee has been formed which will give recommendation for its name as Mian Muhammad Sharif Hockey Stadium is one of the name proposed for the venue.
Rana Mashhood stressed the need of inviting foreign teams to play in Pakistan and the Punjab Government is ready to provide all possible support to hold international cricket matches in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Akhtar Rasool thanked Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif for taking special interest in developing a new hockey venue, which has all the major facilities a sports venue requires.
Among the guests apart from government and other officials around 13 Olympians would also grace the occasion.
State of Art Hockey Stadium to open at Johar Town today
