FAISALABAD, Feb 25 (APP): Divisional Sports Officer Syed Shah Manzar Afridi said that Punjab government is providing sports facilities for 21 different games at 40 locations across four districts of Faisalabad division for promoting healthy activities and nurture young talent.
Talking to APP, he said that under Punjab Sports Department’s development initiatives the infrastructure including stadiums, sports complexes, sports halls, indoor and open grounds, sports avenues, gymnasiums, wrestling arenas, hostels and e-libraries has been established or upgraded to facilitate players.
The facilities cover cricket, hockey, football, badminton, squash, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, wrestling, boxing, handball, martial arts, athletics, kabaddi, indoor games, gym, bodybuilding, weightlifting, karate and archery, he added.
He said that in Faisalabad district, major facilities include Crescent Sports Complex offering badminton, squash, basketball, volleyball, gym and hostel; Ghulam Muhammad Abad Sports Complex and Samanabad Sports Complex with multiple indoor games; Al-Fatah Sports Complex with badminton, table tennis, squash, volleyball, gym and e-library; National Hockey Stadium for hockey; Boharanwala Cricket Ground with cricket and wrestling arena; and Sports Complexes at Dijkot Road and other tehsils providing cricket, football, kabaddi and allied games.
Similarly, in Jhang district, facilities are operational at Shafqat Shaheed Ground, Mai Heer Sports Stadium, Mini Sports Complex Jhang, Hockey Stadium Satellite Town, and several volleyball grounds with gym facilities across different tehsils including Shorkot, Ahmad Pur Sial and 18-Hazari.
In Toba Tek Singh district, Hockey Stadiums at Gojra and Pirmahal, Sports Stadium Toba Tek Singh, Prototype Gymnasium and multiple football grounds are providing services while in Chiniot district, Tehsil Sports Complex Bhowana offers cricket and basketball facilities, he added.
Syed Shah Manzar Afridi said that necessary sports equipment and allied amenities have been provided at all operational sites.
He said that hundreds of players are benefiting daily from these facilities while talent hunt programs are being conducted to identify promising athletes. Selected players are being offered coaching and training, with nationally and internationally renowned athletes voluntarily contributing their services in a spirit of patriotism, he added.
He said that Punjab Sports Department is utilizing available resources to the maximum to facilitate players, citizens and sports enthusiasts. Repair and renovation of existing infrastructure is underway across all four districts of the division while work on new development schemes is progressing at a fast pace to further strengthen sports culture in the region, he added.