Chief Minister (CM) Punjab, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that an international standard swimming complex has been developed in the provincial metropolis and a number of facilities have been provided for the players.
LAHORE, (Pakistan Point News - 16th Jan, 2018) : Chief Minister (CM) Punjab, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that an international standard swimming complex has been developed in the provincial metropolis and a number of facilities have been provided for the players. The Chief Minister inaugurated the Punjab International Swimming Complex at Qaddafi Stadium on Tuesday and inspected different sections after the inauguration. While talking to the players and their coaches, he impressed upon the players to play best and bring laurels home.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Shehbaz Sharif hoped that this complex will play an important role in promoting the sport of swimming. He said that special attention is being given to the promotion of sports activities and Rs. eight billion has been provided for it. Quite a number of new sports fields for hockey, cricket and football games are being constructed in the province. He said that state-of-the-art hockey stadiums have been established in five selected cities while sports grounds are also being developed in other districts to facilitate the youth.
Similarly, gymnasiums have also been set up to encourage youth to take part in different sports activities, he added. The Chief Minister lamented that the menace of squatters has spread everywhere and thousands of acres of land amounting to billions of rupees has been occupied by this mafia in different provinces. There is a need to recover these lands from the encroachers to provide sports facilities to the youth, he said adding that the Punjab government has recovered hundreds of acres of land from the “qabza mafia” and constructed sports fields there.
There is a need to recover these lands from them so that they could be properly utilized for the public welfare, he stated. Shehbaz Sharif said that expatriate Pakistanis purchase lands and properties but unluckily, these assets are encroached upon. Punjab government has set up Overseas Pakistanis Commission Punjab to save the precious properties of Pakistanis living abroad from the “qabza mafia” and this institution has provided prompt relief to thousands of expatriates.
Rule of Law is the only way forward and we have taken effective steps to control any unlawful act, he said and added that Pakistan belongs to all of us and we all have to develop it. The Chief Minister said, “Let join hands together and work collectively for the betterment of the country as no nation can progress through sit-in, lockdowns and agitation. If you try to disturb the souls of Quaid and Iqbal through sit-ins and agitation, then the nation will foil the nefarious designs.
I invite you to examine the development projects including sports fields, educational institutions and most modern hospitals because no nation can progress through sit-ins and agitation. We want to establish such projects in other provinces as well so that the people living there could progress as well. We collectively have to project the name of the country in sports and other fields.” Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Minister, Secretary, DG Sports and the team members over the completion of Punjab International Swimming Complex and said that whole team has worked with dedication to complete this project.
He advised the administration to ensure merit and appoint the trainers through a merit-based system so that international quality players could be developed to bring laurels home. He said that famous players including Akhtar Rasool, Intikhab Alam, Aqib Javed and Zaheer Abbas are present in the ceremony who have made Pakistan famous in the world. He also appreciated the efforts of former Sports Secretary and DG for the promotion of sports activities.
