Hosting the Special Olympics Pakistan delegation that won 16 medals (3 Gold, 7 Silver and 6 Bronze), Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Jahangir Khanzada, praised the efforts of all the athletes, coaches and officials who raised Pakistan's flag in World Winter Games, Austria where 2,700 athletes belonging to 107 countries competed in 9 sports. He further added that revolutionary steps are being taken for the promotion of sports among differently-abled children. He promised that Sports Board Punjab will continue to work in collaboration with the Chief Minister's Special Monitoring Unit and Special Olympics Pakistan (SOP) to strengthen the Chief Minister's resolve of 'No One Left Behind’.
At a luncheon hosted in honor of these athletes, Jahangir Khanzada distributed cheques worth 75,000 each to Gold medal winners including Misha Naeem, Sabahat Tariq, Fatima Amir, and Huzaifa Qazi; cheques worth 50,000 each to silver medal winners comprising of HamzaAslam, Usama Aziz, Parvez Ahmad and Hameed Ud Din and cheques amounting to 40,000 each to bronze medal winner Tehmina Munir. These athletes belong to Sindh, KPK, Balochistan, Federally administered areas and Gilgit-Baltistan. The Minister congratulated these athletes and said that they have won laurels for the country and the nation by utilizing their capabilities. Three special athletes from Punjab namely Farah Ehsan, Mehwish Tufail and Muhammad Abdullah were also present who had been honored with similar prizes in an earlier ceremony. Head of Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit, Syeda Fatima Zaidi, said that as we drive Chief Minister’s strong focus towards the international development agenda and efforts for nurturing an inclusive Punjab, SMU is collaborating with Special Olympics Pakistan. Sports equipment and training to sports instructors in all Special Education Department schools is also being provided. Jahangir Khanzada promised that the government is fully striving for provision of opportunities to special youth by mainstreaming their participation in educational, sports, recreational and skills development activities and a Special Olympics Punjab event will be held in October this year. He promised to provide special athletes with access to these facilities and raise an inclusive Punjab. Rai Mustafa, Associate at the Chief Minister’s SMU further added that that the three special athletes have risen above their intellectual disabilities and already stand victorious and that SMU will strive to protect rights of differently-abled and bridge every gap for their socio-economic inclusion.
Secretary Sports Nayyar Iqbal, Director General Sports Punjab Zulfiqar Ahmed Ghumman, Director Sports Muhammad Anis Sheikh and Vice Chairman Special Olympics Pakistan Anis ur Rehman were also present on the occasion. Vice Chairperson (SOP) Anis ur Rehman thanked the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and all other concerned officials for extending their full support to the Special Olympics Pakistan and expressed his full interest and cooperation for co-organizing the Special Olympics Punjab event this year. The Special Olympics Pakistan delegation, accompanied by the Chief Minister’s SMU, then conducted a tour of the walled-city. They were introduced to the brilliant rehabilitation and conservation of the Shahi Imam and Masjid Wazir Khan. The delegation fully enjoyed their trip and appreciated the historical and cultural value of the Lahore city.