Punjab govt providing best opportunities to youth: Khanzada

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government failed to fulfil its promise to provide playgrounds in every tehsil of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) whereas Punjab government provided dozens of playgrounds, international standard stadiums and gymnasiums in the last five years.

Provincial Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs Jehangir Khanzada said on Saturday that the Punjab government, during its five years tenure, had provided the best opportunities to the youth for taking part in national and international events.

The provincial government, during the last five years, provided more than 14 international standard sports facilities in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sargodha, Gujranwala, DG Khan, Bahawalpur and Toba Tek Singh, which include state-of-the-art cricket and hockey stadiums, swimming pool, tennis court, gymnasiums and hostels for players, he added.

The minister said at district level, sports hall had been set up in Gujranwala, Nowshera Virkan for promotion of sports.

Playgrounds have been established in various areas of Lahore including Rora, Gawala, Riwaz Garden, Baddoke, Aseel Suleman, Chishtian, and Halloki Village whereas cricket ground in Sagiyan, Mini Sports complex and stadium in Gujranwala have been provided.

Moreover, more than 75 playgrounds and 34 gymnasiums as well as missing sports facilities have been provided in different districts including Vehari, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mianwali, Jhang, Nankana Sahib, Hafizabad, Gujrat, Okara, Lodhran, Layyah, Bahawalpur, TT Singh, Mandi Bahauddin, Rajanpur, Sialkot, Narowal, Sheikhupur, Muzaffargarh, RY Khan, Samundri, Tandiyanwala, Vehari, Hafizabad, Khairpur, Kolerkot, Jampur, Borewala and Mailsi.

He said that in order to provide information related to international sports and ease in formal education during training, e-libraries had been set up in various parts of 18 districts including Rawalpindi, Attok, Sargodha, Mianwali, Gujaranwala, Gujrat, Narowal and Okara.

Jehangir Khanzada said that playgrounds in 12 districts had been updated at tehsils level throughout Punjab.

Provision of sports facilities including sports equipment and playgrounds in schools at tehsils level in 24 districts and provision of appropriate infrastructure for promotion of local government was a success of the Punjab government, he added.