PESHAWAR (APP): Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif Youth Talent Hunt Women Football League, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa got under way in a colourful ceremony at Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex on Sunday.
Former Governor and senior politician of the Pakistan Muslim League-N Zafar Iqbal Jhagra was the chief guest on this occasion who formally inaugurated the League wherein teams five teams constituted from all 36 districts across from Dera Ismail Khan to Chitral are taking part under the aegis of Directorate Sports Bacha Khan University Charsadda.
Vice Chancellor Bacha Khan University Professor Dr. Bashir Ahmad, Director Sports and former international athlete Shahbana Khattak, District Sports Officer (DSO) Charsadda Tehseen UIlah Khan, football officials and players from Swat Regions including Chitral, Shangla, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Kohistan Upper, Kohistan Lower, Mardan Region with players from Buner, Nowshera, Malakand Division, Hazara Region with players from all six districts, Bannu Region and Peshawar are taking part.
The ceremony was started with the recitation from the Holy Quran by Qari Kaleem Ullah, followed by the National Anthem and March Past of all the participating teams. Prime Minister Youth Talent Hunt Program is currently going in 10 female and 12 male Games across Pakistan with the aim to hunt talented players’ age 15-25 are eligible.
Speaking on this occasion, former Governor Zafar Iqbal Jhagra appreciated Prime Minister Main Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for launching the Talent Hunt Program under which thousands of talented youth would get a platform to come and show their hidden talent.
He said it would be a milestone as far as Pakistan’s image in the world of sports is concerned. Under the Program, the youth talent would be highlighted by providing them good playing conditions and facilitation.
He said the Program was first introduced by the then Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in 2013 wherein he allocated Rs. 6000 billion for the Program. He expressed the hope that the youth would do their online registration in 10 female and 12 male games and exhibited their hidden talent both at provincial as well national leagues.
He also appreciated Higher Education Commission (HEC), Vice Chancellor and Director Sports Bacha Khan University Prof. Dr. Bashir Ahmad and Shahbana Khattak and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Shaza Fatima Khawaja for supervising the program in a successful manner. He said, Program turned out to be a real success as national and international athletes groomed well to represent departments and national teams, respectively.
Vice Chancellor Bacha Khan University Prof. Dr. Bashir Ahmad said that they would try to facilitate the players during the Provincial as well National League in Football awarded to them by HEC. He said that a total of 54,000 youths from various regions in the country have been positively engaged through diverse sporting activities under the umbrella of the Prime Minister’s Youth Talent Hunt and Sports League.
This program, he said, marks a significant step towards promoting sports and providing young football enthusiasts with a platform to showcase their skills on a national level.
Earlier, former Governor KP Zafar Iqbal Jhagra formally inaugurated the Provincial Football League in a colourful ceremony with great enthusiasm witnessed among the female football players. “We love to play football and it is a great opportunity for the females to come and showcase their talent,” Mariyum Khan, a Martial Art player, now playing football, told APP here.
She said girls have good talent but due to lack of opportunities, they could not come to the national and international sides but with the launching of PM talent Hunt Program, wherein girls can take part in 10 different Games, more talented girls would come up.
In the opening match Peshawar defeated Bannu by 9-0 in the opening match. Rania, Kalsoom, Nadia, Saira, scored two goals each while Seema scored the 9th goal in the dying moments while Swat and Hazara played 1-1 draw in the second match.
KP Prime Minister Youth Hunt Women Football League begins
