MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): A 150-member contingent from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) will compete in the 35th National Games, scheduled from May 1 to May 9, 2025.
Director General Sports, Youth and Culture, Malik Shaukat Hayat Khan, said that the contingent will represent Azad Kashmir in 22 different disciplines, including men and women during the 35th National Games.
As per details, this year’s National Games, the biggest sporting event in the country, will be held in Karachi, with a total of 26 sports for men and 23 for women. Teams from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, and various departments of the country participate in the games.
The AJK’s contingent will leave for the port city on April 29, 2025.
The players from Azad Kashmir will feature in 22 different sports, including Athletics (Men and Women), Badminton (Men and Women), Table Tennis (Men and Women), Boxing (Men and Women), Weightlifting (Men only), Archery (Men only), Squash (Men only), Judo (Men and Women), Netball (Women only), Karate (Men and Women), Handball (Women only), Taekwondo (Men and Women), Wushu (Men and Women), and Wrestling (Men only).
Azad Kashmir’s Minister for Sports, Youth and Culture, Asim Sharif Butt, has given special instructions to the Sports Department to hold trials across the state and to ensure merit-based selection.
In this regard, the trials are being launched under the supervision of Secretary Sports Muhammad Rashid Hanif and DG Sports Malik Shaukat Hayat Khan.
Azad Kashmir trials for National Games
According to the sports department statement, the trials for the athletics and badminton teams will be held at the Jinnah Sports Complex in Islamabad on April 10 at 10 am.
Furthermore, the trials for table tennis, boxing, and weightlifting will be held in the Mirpur district on April 11, while the trials for archery and squash will be held in the Muzaffarabad district on April 12.
Similarly, Muzaffarabad will hold the trials for judo, netball, karate, handball, taekwondo, wushu, and wrestling on April 13.
DG Sports Shaukat Hayat has specially directed the youth to participate fully in the trials so that selection on merit can be made and the youth can get opportunities to show their talent at the national level.
Apart from that, the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has also announced that it will conduct the inaugural National Youth Games this year in Lahore from September 7 to 13.
