PESHAWAR: After almost 19 years, Balochistan is going to host the much-awaited 34th National Games from May 5 to 23, an official of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) said on Friday.

Talking to APP in Peshawar, POA senior vice-president Syed Aqil Shah said around 6,000 male and female athletes and 1,000 officials would feature in 34 disciplines, including four exhibition sports (cricket, futsal, throw ball and canoeing and kayak), at the national gala which for the first time would be held in two phases.

Aqil also visited Quetta to see the preparations regarding the hosting of the Games.

While lauding the Balochistan government which has allocated Rs100 million for preparing the venues and Rs400 million for organising the Games, the POA official said it would be historic that Quetta would was hosting the Games after 19 years.

“Due to Covid, the Games could not be held in 2019, and will now be held from May 5,” Aqil said.

According to Aqil who is also president of the KP Olympic Association, the athletes will compete in martial arts, boxing, athletics, football, hockey, body-building and other competitions at twelve different places including the Ayub Sports Complex, Quetta Cantt and BUTMANS University in Quetta.

“Some events including swimming, rowing, rifle shooting and canoeing will be staged outside Quetta,” the official added.

“Swimming competitions will be held in Lahore, rifle shooting in Jhelum, rowing and canoeing in Rawal Lake, Islamabad.”

Exhibition sports events in Quetta will not be recognised as a part of the National Games.

Schedule of different sports at the 34th National Games (to be held in Quetta):

1. Baseball: BUITEMS Cricket Ground, May 7-13; 2. Basketball (5x5): PSB Hall, Ayub Sports Complex, May 7-14; 3. Football: Ayub Football Stadium and Qayyum Papa Football Stadium, May 5-14; 4.

Handball: Ayub Sports Complex, May 5-14; 5. Hockey: Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Hockey Stadium, May 4-14; 6. Kabaddi Women Hall, Ayub Sports Complex, May 7-14; 7. Rugby 7’s: BUITEMS, May 8-14; 8. Softball: BUITEMS Football Ground, May 7-14; 9. Tug of war: Ayub Football Stadium, May 10-14; 10. Boxing: PSB Hall, Ayub Sports Complex, May 5-15; 11. Fencing: BUITEMS, Quetta May 8-14; 12. Archery: BUITEMS / Tameer-i-Nau College, May 15-23; 13. Athletics: Ayub Football Stadium, May 15-23; 14. Badminton: Saifullah Magsi Badminton Court, Ayub Sports Complex, May 14-23; 15. Bodybuilding: Noori Naseer Khan Complex Hall, May 14-18; 16. Cycling: Quetta-Pishin Road, May 15-23; 17. Golf: Quetta Golf Club, May 15-22; 18. Gymnastics: BUITEMS, May 16-21; 19. Judo: BUITEMS, May 14-20; 20. Karate: SBK Hall, May 14-21; 21. Squash: Ayub Sports Complex, May 14-23; 22. Table Tennis: Table Tennis Hall, Ayub Sports Complex, May 16-23; 23. Taekwondo: BUITEMS, Quetta, May 14-23; 24. Tennis: Ayub Stadium Complex, Polo Ground, and Brown Gymkhana, May 15-23; 25. Volleyball: PSB Hall, Ayub Stadium Complex, May 14-21; 26. Weightlifting: Noori Naseer Khan Complex Hall, May 17-23; 27. Wrestling (boys): Scout Hall, May 17-22; 28. Wushu: Ibrar Hall Ayub Sports Complex, May 15-22 (competition of individual sport in Islamabad); 29. Rowing: Islamabad, May 7-14 (competition of individual sport in Ormara, Gwadar); 30. Sailing: Ormara, Gwadar, schedule/events not finalised (by the sailing federation); 31. Shooting: Jhelum, May 11-20; 32. Swimming: Lahore, May 17-22

Exhibition sports:

1 Canoe and Kayak: Quetta, May 16; 2 Futsal: Ground, Ayub Sports Complex, May 16; 3 Throwball: Ayub Sports Complex, May 18; 4 Women’s cricket: Nawab Akbar Bugti & Bolan Cricket Stadium, May 18.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2023