QUETTA: Balochistan Sports Department Director General Durra Bloch claimed on Sunday that first time in the province’s history, the province successfully organized over 30 sports events during the outgoing year 2023.
The organization of the 34th National Games after 19 years in the province was a big achievement for the sports department, he said in a statement issued here.
He said that many sports competitions will be held across Balochistan this year too. Baloch said the Olympic athletes of Pakistan and Balochistan, sports organizations, and people of Balochistan played an important role in making it a success, for which we are all grateful.
He added that in 2023, more than 30 sports competitions were organized across Balochistan, starting with the Gwadar Sports Festival and Beach Games held in January, which continued from January 20 to 27 last year.
The exhibition match of PSL 8 between Quetta Gladiator and Peshawar Zalmi was played on February 5 in Quetta, in which cricket fans participated in large numbers. Apart from that, a women’s cricket match was also organized on February 5 on the occasion of Kashmir Day.
On February 15, the final of the All Quetta Tape Ball Cricket Tournament was held, which started on December 13, 2022. The Sports Department organized the first Balochistan Games, which were held in all the districts of Balochistan from February 20 to March 11, and their final round was held in Quetta from March 12 to 20.
In the month of Ramazan, the Ramazan Sports Festival was organized from April 9 to April 26 in Quetta. In the month of June, the Secretary Sports Ishaq Jamali Under-13 Cricket Tournament was concluded peacefully. The All Balochistan Chief Minister Cricket Tournament was also organized from June 20 to 26.
In the month of July, the All Quetta Table Tennis Championship for Women was held from July 18 to 20, 2023. On the occasion of Independence Day, the All Pakistan Azadi Cricket Gold Cup was held in Quetta from August 8 to 14, and the Azadi Sports Festival was organized in all districts of Balochistan from August 10 to 14 in connection with the celebration of Pakistan’s independence.
The sports department has also organized a cash prize-giving ceremony on September 13 for the athletes who won medals and showed outstanding performances for Balochistan in the National Games. In the month of September, the Quetta Super League Cricket Tournament under 13 and under 16 was held, which continued from September 10 to October 1.
From September 19 to October 8, Pakistan’s biggest football festival, the All-Pakistan CM Balochistan Football Gold Cup, was organized, in which more than 60 teams from all over the country participated. The All-Pakistan-Pakistannister Balochistan Inter-Provincial Women’s Volleyball Championship was organized from October 5 to 9, and in continuation of this, the 53rd National Volleyball Championship was held from October 11 to 17.
The Balochistan Inter-University Sports Festival was organized for the students of Balochistan from October 19 to October 23. From October 26 to November 1, the Shaheed Nawabzada Mir Siraj Khan Raisani Sports Festival was launched by the Sports Department, in which more than 30 sports were included.
The All Balochistan Under-19 Cricket Tournament was organized in two parts from October 24 to November 2 in Khuzdar and Quetta, and the final round was played in Quetta.
The Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani Under-10 Women’s Futsal Tournament was held from November 4 to 6, and the second Southern Balochistan Sports Youth and Culture Festival was held at the end of the previous year, which continued from December 11 to 15.
Director General Sports Durra Baloch said that the department is committed to working hard for the promotion of sports and producing players who bring laurels to the country.
The authority will take more steps in 2024 to create more opportunities and provide facilities to the sportsmen for representing the country.
