Special Assistant on Youth and Chairman Prime Minister Youth Talent Hunt program Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan on Friday inaugurated the Youth Talent Hunt table tennis provincial league which got under way here under the aegis of Directorate of Sports Islamia College University Peshawar at Lala Rafique Sports Arena.
Vice Chancellor Islamia College University Peshawar Professor Dr. Ali Muhammad, squash legend Qamar Zaman, Director of Operations Azizullah and Organizing Secretary Ali Hoti and other personalities were also present.
In the first phase, trials were held in all five regions including Swat, Hazara, Mardan, Bannu and Peshawar wherein boys and girls were selected to compete in the provincial league started here.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, chief guest Rana Mashood said that PM Youth Program is committed to highlight and hunt the talents of youth for enabling them to face future challenges. He said that it is the government’s effort to provide equal opportunities to the youth in sports competitions so that both the genders (boys & girls) can earn name for the country at national and international levels.
To provide opportunities to find more talent, such a program is a key in playing a role as a suit-able platform for the youth to excel their hidden talent in 12 male and 10 female games as part of the PM Youth Talent Hunt program.
He said that sports have been given the status of an industry in civilized and developed countries and this is the reason why they have done outstanding work in the field of sports.
Rana Mashood lauded the players for their ac-tive participation in games which leads to their physical and mental health. He said that table tennis is a sport that promotes mental and physical health.
“Games Teach the lesson of competition and I believe that providing equal opportunity to the youth across the country to participate in sports events will lead to a healthy society,” he added.
“I advise the youth to actively participate in extra-curricular activities so that they could play an important role in creating a peaceful and healthy society,” he said.—PR