PESHAWAR
Central Jail Peshawar Sports Festival for inmates of Jail will start in the first week of August this year in which male and female inmates will compete in different games, said Superintendent Central Jail Peshawar Maqsood Khattak told APP here on Wednesday.
He said as desired by the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan to have sports activities for the inmates of the Central Jail Peshawar, it was decided to hold the grand Games Festival for both male and female prisoners in the first week of August for which all arrangements have already been made. He said female and male prisoners would take part in games including Tug-of-War, Badminton, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Cricket, Futsal, and Football.
He also thanked district administration Peshawar including Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Captain (Retd) Khalid Mahmood, Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Asfandyar Khan Khattak, District Sports Officer Peshawar Tehseen Ullah for extending great support to hold the Games in befitting manners.
The Games festivity is aimed at attracting both male and female prisoners towards healthy activities, Maqsoon Khattak said. Member Provincial Assembly Rabia Basri, Director General Sports KP Asfandyar Khan Khattak, and District Sports Officer Tehseen Ullah also visited the Central Jail and finalized the ways and means for the smooth conduct of the Festival.
Director General Sports Asfandyar Khan Khattak said that all the position holders would also be given cash prizes besides playing gears would also be distributed among the prisoners so that they could continue their healthy sports activities.
He said the government is using all its resources for the promotion of sports that is why along with others, it was decided to have a Sports Festival for the inmates of Central Jail Peshawar. Through these Games, it would provide good opportunities for the prisoners of the Central Jail to exhibit their skills in healthy sports activities.
The holding of a sports festival by the provincial government at Central Jail Peshawar is a testament to the fact that the provincial government is serious about attracting prisoners to positive activities. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, who also holds the portfolio of the sports department, deserves more appreciation when he directed the sports department to have healthy sporting activities for the inmates of Central Jail Peshawar.
MPA Rabia Basri said that holding sports competitions in Central Jail Peshawar would increase the tendency of the inmates to create positive activities and enthusiasm.
She also appreciated Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Captain (Retd) Khalid Mehmood and District Sports Officer for their dedicated efforts in this connection and ensuring conducive sporting environment to the prisoners.
Asfandyar Khattak said, more than eight different activities would be organized at the Peshawar district level and all the district sports officers have been asked to hold different sports activities at their level so that to keep the players in form for the forthcoming U21 Games in which players from 35 districts would take part.
He said that the sports event inside Central Jail Peshawar has changed the atmosphere and gave a new ray of hope to the inmates. Asfandyar Khan Khattak also lauded the efforts of Jail Superintendent Maqsood Khattak for taking steps in the right direction by involving the inmates of the Central Jail Peshawar in healthy activities and extended support to the Directorate General Sports KP for holding the Festival. He expressed the hope that the provincial government would continue such healthy activities in the future as well.
