Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Jahangir Khanzada has said that revolutionary steps are being taken for the promotion of sports among differently-abled children and they will be provided playgrounds and coaching facilities according to their physical and mental needs. He said that cash prizes of Rs. 75000, Rs. 50000 and Rs. 40000 will be given to all special athletes of Pakistan winning medals in World Winter Games Austria 2017 on behalf of Punjab government. He said that Rs. 75000 will be given to special athlete winning gold medal from all the four provinces including Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and KPK, Rs. 50000 will be given to those obtaining silver medal and Rs. 40000 to those scoring bronze medal.
He made this announcement while addressing a luncheon hosted in the honor of special athletes of Punjab Sports Board winning from Austria. The Minister congratulated these athletes and said that they have won laurels for the country and the nation by utilizing their capabilities. He said that Chief Minister’s Talent Hunt Programme will introduce a new tradition of promotion of sports as a result of which girl and boy students of schools and colleges will be provided opportunity for making their identity and special children will not be neglected in this regard. Talking to the media-men, Jahangir Khanzada said that 3000 special players of 107 countries from all over the world participated in Special Olympics which also include 12 Pakistani players who won three gold medals, seven silver medals and six bronze medals for Pakistan. The players include Mehwish, Abdullah and Farah. Director General Sports Punjab Zulfiqar Ahmed Ghumman told the media men that Punjab Chief Minister is paying attention to the promotion of sports on the pattern of education and health. He said that floodlights grounds are being prepared in schools and colleges under the supervision of Punjab Sports Board. At the end of the ceremony, the Minister gave cheque of Rs. 75,000 to Farah Ehsan obtaining gold medal, Rs. 50,000 to Muhammad Abdullah on winning silver medal and Rs. 40,000 to Mehwish Tufail for securing bronze medal and presented souvenirs to Vice Chairman Pakistan Special Olympics Association Anis ur Rehman, Coaches Irfan, Zahid Nawaz and Miss Rubab. Director Sports Muhammad Anees Sheikh, Vice Chairman Pakistan Special Olympics Association Anees ur Rehman, Head Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit Syeda Fatima Zaidi and Associte CM’s SMU Rai Mustafa were also present on the occasion. Anis ur Rehman thanked the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for extending his support to the Special Olympics Pakistan.
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 and Sports Board Punjab are collaborating with Special Olympics Pakistan. Sports equipment and training to sports instructors in all Special Education Department schools is being provided and a Special Olympics Punjab event will be held in October this year. Jahangir Khanzada further added that the government is fully striving for provision of rights and opportunities to special youth by mainstreaming their participation in educational, sports, recreational and skills development activities. I promise to provide special athletes with access to these facilities and raise an inclusive Punjab where ‘No Athlete is Left Behind’. Mr. Rai Mustafa commented 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.