QUETTA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday promised to utilise all possible resources for the promotion of sports activities in the country and create conducive opportunities for the youth to excel in all genres of games.

He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 34th National Games that was held in Quetta earlier today.  In his address, the premier also guaranteed the government's dedication to creating conducive opportunities for the youth of the country to excel in all genres of games.The prime minister said that the nation was proud of its players and athletes who had not only earned fame in the country but also brought laurels from abroad. PM Shehbaz said that the national games were being held in the province after a lapse of 19 years. “Holding of the national games in this historic city manifests the national unity and strength and patriotism for the motherland,” he added.

The prime minister further observed that the young people of Pakistan possessed huge potential which could be utilised in different categories of games so that they could further bring success to the country. Assuring the government’s complete support, he said in the past, they had distributed laptops, established Danish schools and promoted games, besides, awarding the high achievers.

He said in the field of sports, they were committed to providing all available resources to the youth because a nation became healthy if its youth was healthy and could achieve progress if its young segment was properly educated. The prime minister said that the spectre of terrorism in the past had affected different parts of the country with the terrorists mounting attacks on GHQ and Army Public School. The armed forces and law enforcement agencies had decided to eradicate the menace with the support of the nation, he said. He added that in that fight, officers and personnel of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies and people from all segments of society offered huge sacrifices so that the curse of terrorism could be crushed forever.

The prime minister said the whole nation saluted all those who faced terrorism bravely and offered sacrifices.

They foiled the nefarious designs of the enemies who wanted the destruction of the country, he added.

Referring to May 9 incidents, the prime minister said a Pakistani could not harbour such destructive thinking, but belonged to thinking of an enemy of the country.

He said on that day, miscreants torched Lahore Corps Commander House (or Jinnah House) like the terrorists had set Quaid’s Residency in Ziarat on fire.

The prime minister stressed that they should take steps within the confines of laws and the constitution so that these incidents could not be repeated.

He said May 9 would always be remembered as the blackest day in the country’s history and the incidents that took place on that day were highly condemnable. He regretted that the miscreants also disrespected the monuments of the martyred.

PM Shehbaz also reiterated that with the support of the nation, they would rebuild Pakistan in all sectors and fields.

He also congratulated the governor, the chief minister and the management committee for making excellent arrangements to host the national games.

Published in The Daily National Courier, May, 23 2023

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