DIR UPPER, Aug 16 (APP)::The 15-day Dir Upper Sports and Culture Festival in connection with 72nd Independence Day celebrations got under way under the aegis of District Administration, District Govt and District Sports Officer Dir Upper at Dir Upper Sports Complex.
Commander 212 Brigade Dir Upper Brigadier Abbas Haider was the chief guest on this occasion. MNA Sibgatullah, District Nazim Dir Upper Sahibzada Fassih Ullah, Ex-MPA Anwar Khan, local leadership of PTI, Jamat-e-Islami were also present during the colourful opening ceremony.
The ceremony was started with the recitation of Holy Quran by Qari Shahab Khan, followed by a grant national athem wherein 2000 players including players from Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad and other cities part of the Sports and Culture Festival are taking part.
This is the fourth such Sports and Culture Festival organizing by District Govt, District Administration with the collaboration of Directorate of Sports KP with District Sports Officer Dir is acting as organizing secretary.
All the participating team took part in the smart March Past while the chief guest Commander 212 Brigade Dir Upper along with other guests took “Salami”.
When Brigadier Abbas Haider announced the opening of the Sports and Culture Festival pigeon, colourful balloons and balloons carrying banners inscribed with “Kashmir Bani Ga Pakistan” “Pakistan Zindabad”, “We stand with Kashmiries” “We condemned brutality of Indian Forces, “Stop genocide of innocent Kashmiries” were released in the air.
To expressed solidarity with Kashmiries in their right to self-determination, a walk was also organized with Commandent Brigadier Abbas Haider, Deputy Commissioner Dir Upper Abdul Hamid, MNA Sibgatullah, Ex-MPA Anwar Khan, District Nazim Sahibzada Fassih Ullah, elders of the area, officials, players and people from walk of live took part.
“The Independence Day is special as we are standing with Kashmiris for their right of self-determination and we condemned the brutitality of India forces against innocent Kashmiries,” Brigadier Abbas Haider in his speech said.
He appreciated District Nazim Sahibzada Fassih Ullah, Deputy Commissioner Dir Upper, DSO Muktiar Hussain and Directorate of Sports KP for holding the 3rd Sports and Culture Festival by involving the talented youth of Dir Upper, Dir Upper, Chitral and other adjacent areas besides welcoming the players come from other cities of the country.
He said peace has been restored to all areas and that is why opportunities are being given to the youth to come and show their hidden talent without any fear. He said the people of Dir Upper are peace loving and love their country and if India made any misadventure, the forces of Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan would give befitting reply.
Nazim Dir Upper Sahibzada Fassih Ullah said the Festival, which is an annual feature of the Dir Upper, is carrying T20 Cricket, Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Badminton, Athletic, Tug of War, Martial Arts including Taekwondo, Judo, Karate, Wushu, Snooker and Hockey.
The aim and objective of the Festival is to involve the youth of Dir Upper in healthy sports and culture activities. Sahibzada Fassih Ullah said players from all across Pakistan are also eagerly awaiting in participating in various sports, culture and traditional events part of the Festival.
He said there is no dearth of talent in the youth of Dir Upper and many players in the Martial Arts, Cricket, Football, Volleyball, Hockey and other games part of the these festival reached to the national and international levels.
Accompanied with DSO Mukhtiar Hussain, DN said that more than 2000 players are expected to take part in the festival. He disclosed that the qualifying rounds in different events for the local teams have already been kicked off and among them four top teams would be part of the overall Sports Festival.
The opening ceremony also carried a grand grand firework as well with other culture programs including national songs in connection with the ID celebration and great enthusiasm witnessed among the youth.
