Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has set the stage for another historic sports event as Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur officially inaugurated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Games 2025 here on Thursday
Peshawar. February 20: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has set the stage for another historic sports event as Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur officially inaugurated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Games 2025 here on Thursday. The grand opening ceremony took place on Thursday at Qayyum Stadium, Peshawar, featuring vibrant performances and a spectacular fireworks display. The event was attended by Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Syed Fakhar Jehan, members of the provincial assembly, government officials, journalists, athletes, and a large number of students. Traditional dances added a cultural touch to the colorful ceremony.
With a total of 2,380 athletes competing, including 1,043 female participants, this year’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Games marks the largest sporting event in the province’s history. Athletes from seven regional zones are participating, with 16 sports categories for men and 12 for women. The competitions include athletics, football, hockey, volleyball, basketball, karate, taekwondo, boxing, squash, table tennis, badminton, gymnastics, throwball, judo, wushu, and handball.
Sports venues hosting these competitions include Peshawar Sports Complex, Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex Charsadda, Peshawar Board Sports Ground, Hayatabad Sports Complex, Pakistan Sports Board Coaching Centre, PSB Hall, Peshawar University, and Kohat Sports Complex.
During his address, Chief Minister Gandapur congratulated the Sports Department and the athletes for organizing the event. He also announced that gold medalists in these games will receive a monthly stipend of PKR 25,000 for one year. Encouraging the participants, he emphasized the importance of perseverance, stating, “An athlete who learns to compete can never truly lose.” He also expressed his satisfaction over the inclusion of female athletes, reinforcing the idea that “Victory and defeat are part of the game, but even a loss can turn into a win. To compete in life, we must follow Islamic teachings, as a person who adheres to them always succeeds.”
In a political note, the Chief Minister remarked, “Our leader has been unjustly imprisoned, yet he has already won even behind bars. Imran Khan is an ideology—an ideology that neither dies nor fades away; it only grows stronger. He will be free soon and will once again become the Prime Minister of this country.”
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