Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, and Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), Rana Sanaullah, jointly chaired an important meeting regarding the preparations for the 14th South Asian Games to be held in Pakistan. The meeting was attended by the Secretary of the IPC, Zahoor Ahmed, Secretary of the Government of Punjab, President of the Pakistan Olympic Association, Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board, and other relevant stakeholders. During the meeting, Secretary IPC Zahoor Ahmed provided a detailed briefing on the preparations for the 14th South Asian Games and informed the participants that the event will take place in Pakistan from January 23rd to January 31st, 2026, which is a matter of great pride for the country. It was shared that training camps for various sports, including volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, taekwondo, athletics, hockey, and others, will be organized. Furthermore, it was decided to hire foreign coaches for sports such as volleyball and taekwondo. The meeting also revealed that various competitions of the Games will be held in Lahore, Faisalabad, Narowal, and Islamabad, and preparations for a dedicated South Asian Games Secretariat are underway, which will be finalized soon. Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal, while addressing the meeting, stated that hosting the 2026 South Asian Games is an honor for Pakistan and a matter of great pride. He emphasized that the Games would serve as a platform for Pakistan to showcase its soft image to the world, proving that the country is a safe and peaceful destination for hosting international events and has the full capability to organize mega-events. He further mentioned that since the majority of the Games will be held in Punjab, ownership of the Games should be given to the province. It was decided during the meeting that a sub-committee, under the leadership of the Secretary IPC, would be formed to determine which Games will be held in which province and at which venue. This committee will visit the venues in all four cities and present its recommendations in the next meeting. The aim is to assess the available facilities in each city and identify any additional infrastructure or facilities that may be required. The Secretary of Sports Punjab assured the meeting that the Punjab government, especially in Lahore, would provide every possible support for organizing the events. The meeting also involved a thorough discussion on logistics, security, venue selection, athlete training, and the recruitment of foreign coaches. At the conclusion of the meeting, all relevant authorities were instructed to take immediate action to finalize all necessary steps for the successful hosting of the Games.
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