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ISLAMABAD, Sep 20 (APP):Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Saturday expressed his admiration for Pakistan’s progress, recognition, and success, attributing it to the unity of the nation, effective leadership, and divine support.
Speaking at the second Rawalpindi Islamabad Sports Journalists Association (RISJA) Inter-Media Cricket Tournament, Dr. Tariq Fazal highlighted Pakistan’s achievements despite facing numerous challenges.
He mentioned that Pakistan’s annual defence budget is around $8-9 billion, significantly less than India’s $80 billion. Despite this disparity, Pakistan has demonstrated remarkable resilience and strength.
He lauded the government’s recent achievements, and praised the swift and decisive response of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during Operation Bunyan Al Marsoos, describing it as a demonstration of Pakistan’s strong defence capabilities.
Dr. Tariq Fazal emphasized the importance of national unity in overcoming challenges and achieving progress. He praised the country’s armed forces, political leadership, and citizens for their collective efforts.
The minister commended efforts to promote sports in Islamabad, including the development of sports facilities by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). He also announced a cash prize of Rs 20,000 each for teams of Samaa, ARY, 92 and Public News teams who were playing their matches in the cricket tournament on Saturday.
Dr. Tariq Fazal stressed that sports should be free from politics, emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship and fair play. He criticized India’s behaviour during the Asia Cup group match (where their team did not handshake with the Pakistani players), saying that their actions reflected poorly on their nation and leadership.
The RISJA Inter-Media Cricket Tournament features ten teams divided into two groups. Group A comprises Geo TV, Dunya News, CDA, 92 News, and Public TV, while Group B includes ARY News, Hum News, Samaa News, RISJA, and Dawn News. Each team will play four matches in the group stage, with fixtures consisting of 15 overs per side.
The knockout stage and final will be played over 20 overs, with the championship match scheduled for October 1 in Islamabad.