A three-day \u2018Girls Sports Carnival\u2019 kicked off on Friday at the Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad with a vibrant and colourful opening ceremony.
\nThe event is taking place under the auspices of Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education and Federal Directorate of Education Islamabad.
\nAround 4,000 girl athletes from all over Pakistan including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan are featuring in the event.
\nThe event aims to empower young girls through sports, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their athletic talents across a range of sport disciplines, including athletics, basketball, football, volleyball, table tennis, badminton and tennis.
\nMinister for Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, who was the chief guest at the opening ceremony inaugurated the event.
\nHe commended the efforts of young female athletes, acknowledging the critical role sports play in their development. \u201cThese [girl] athletes are breaking barriers, not just in sports but in all walks of life.
\n\u201cThey are a reflection of Pakistan\u2019s progress, demonstrating that with the right support and encouragement, there\u2019s no limit to what they can achieve,\u201d Siddiqui said speaking at the ceremony.
\nHighlighting the transformative power of sports for girls he said: \u201cWhen our girls excel in sports, it\u2019s not just about winning a game \u2014 it\u2019s about building confidence, discipline and leadership skills.
\n\u201cThese are qualities that will serve them in all aspects of life, from their education to their careers.\u201d
\nHe said, his ministry was committed to promoting a culture of fitness and health among girls through these sports activities.
\n\u201cSuch carnivals ensure continued opportunities for young girls. We need to keep creating spaces where our daughters can thrive. They are our future and it is our duty to support their ambitions, whether in the classroom, the boardroom or on the field.\u201d
\nThe minister also spoke about how sports could bridge the gender gap and serve as a tool for inclusion. \u201cSports teach us teamwork, respect, and resilience. By encouraging more girls to participate, we are moving towards a more inclusive society, where everyone has a chance to contribute and succeed.\u201d
\nThe three-day extravaganza promises intense competitions and camaraderie.
\nSpeaking about their excitement and determination, several young athletes expressed their feelings about the carnival. Saba Khalid, a 16-year-old sprinter from Lahore said: \u201cIt feels incredible to compete at this level. I have been training for months. Events like this give us [girls] the confidence to keep going and chase our goals.\u201d
\nSimilarly, 17-year-old footballer Ayesha, while sharing her thoughts said: \u201cI\u2019m sure playing in this carnival will be a fantastic experience. I expect tough contests to make a podium finish. But we are determined to deliver our 100 per cent to win. We need more events like this to show that girls can compete in any sport and do just as well as anyone.\u201d
\nMahnoor, a 16-year-old athlete from AJK said: \u201cWe\u2019ve worked hard to get here, and it\u2019s great to see all these amazing athletes come together.
\n\u201cThis carnival proves that girls can excel in sports if given the right opportunities.\u201d
\nSports enthusiasts gathered in large numbers to cheer for their favourite teams, adding to the celebratory atmosphere of the event. \u201cIt\u2019s an absolute joy to see my daughter compete and make us proud,\u201d said a parent from Rawalpindi, Zarina Ali, whose daughter is participating in the volleyball competition.
\n\u201cThese events are essential because they not only build confidence but also promote healthy lifestyles for girls,\u201d she added.
\nAn award ceremony will be held on the final day to celebrate the achievements of the young athletes, encouraging more girls to participate in sports and exhibit their skills and talent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A three-day \u2018Girls Sports Carnival\u2019 kicked off on Friday at the Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad with a vibrant and colourful opening ceremony. The event is taking place under the auspices of Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education and Federal Directorate of Education Islamabad. Around 4,000 girl …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":71830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71824","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71824"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71824\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71831,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71824\/revisions\/71831"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}