our correspondent
\nKARACHI
\nProvincial Sports Secretary Imtiaz Ali Shah has commended Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) for promoting the national game in the metropolis.
\nHe was speaking as chief guest at the Independence Day celebrations held under floodlights at the KHA Sports Academy, Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
\nThree exhibition matches between different teams, including one from Hyderabad, were organised to commemorate the occasion.
\nThe matches also marked the inauguration of floodlights installed by the Sindh government on the orders of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.
\nThe venue was decorated with national flags and buntings. National anthem was played and a cake was cut by the chief guest. The organisers have also erected a walk-through sanitizer gate for the guests, players, and officials.
\nSpeaking on the occasion, Imtiaz Ali Shah said that the chief minister is taking keen interest in revival of the national game.
\nHe recalled glories of stalwarts of yesteryears. \u201cHockey is our national game and has done us proud,\u201d he added.
\nHe assured to provide his full support to the KHA in future also.
\nPatron of the KHA, Vice Admiral (R) Syed Arifullah Husseni said sports play vital role in nation building and asked youth to devote time for healthy activities.
\nSecretary Sports XI scored a lone goal victory over Commissioner Karachi XI. Taha Raza scored the all-important goal.
\nEarlier, the match between Karachi Youth and Hyderabad ended in a goalless draw.
\nIn another match, local U-12 boys defeated Karachi Girls team by solitary goal.
\nKhizer Akhtar of Hyderabad was declared Man of the Match while Ayan Khan (U-12) and Adeel (Karachi Youth) were awarded trophies.
\nFormer Olympian Hanif Khan, Chief Engineer Sindh government Aslam Mehr, Chairman KHA Gulfraz Ahmed Khan, and other officials including Dr S. A. Majid, SSP Ejazuddin, Javed Iqbal, Azeem Khan, Muhammad Khalid, Muhammad Ali Khan, Mohsin Ali Khan, Majid Khan, Naseem Hussain and KHA Secretary Haider Hussain were prominent among others who were present on the occasion.
\nSecretary KHA Haider Hussain thanked the chief guest for visiting the KHA ground for the first time.
\nThe chief guest who remained at the venue for over two hours later distributed the prizes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
our correspondent KARACHI Provincial Sports Secretary Imtiaz Ali Shah has commended Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) for promoting the national game in the metropolis. He was speaking as chief guest at the Independence Day celebrations held under floodlights at the KHA Sports Academy, Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Three exhibition matches between different teams, including one from Hyderabad, were organised […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":139990,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-139971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n