In a landmark celebration of sports players’ excellence, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government organised the province’s first-ever Sports Heroes Awards ceremony on Tuesday at Nishtar Hall, Peshawar, to honour players who have brought pride to the province and the nation through outstanding performances in various sports.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The event was also attended by Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Syed Fakhar Jehan, along with other dignitaries including Provincial Ministers Major (R) Sajjad Barkwal, Pakhtunyar Khan, Parliamentary Secretary for Sports Ajmal Khan, Additional Secretary Sports Pir Abdullah Shah, Director General Sports Tashfeen Haider, senior officials of the Sports Department, athletes, their families, coaches, organizers and people from different walks of life.
During the ceremony, awards were presented to 17 fresh athletes for their remarkable achievements in national and international competitions. In addition, monthly stipend cheques of PKR 25,000 were awarded to medal-winning athletes of the Quaid-e-Azam Under-21 Games, where Khyber Pakhtunkhwa secured second position, a significant achievement for the province.
Souvenirs were also presented to the athletes from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who were part of the national team that recently won an Under-16 Volleyball International Championship.
Among the award recipients were: Aimal Khan (Volleyball), Israr ul Haq (Archery), Nasir Iqbal (Squash), Baz Muhammad (Karate), Hamza Roman (Tennis), Murad Ali (Badminton), Muhammad Hamza Khan (Squash), Sufyan Khan (Hockey), Inayatullah (Wrestling), Noor Zaman (Squash), Usman Ahmed (Kabaddi), Afraz Hakim (Hockey), Mah Noor Ali (Squash), Tamin Khan (Athletics), Azra Farooq (Volleyball), Wajahatullah Khan (Tent Pegging) and Sikandar-ul-Mulk (Freestyle Polo).
These athletes have represented Pakistan and the province with distinction in both national and international arenas.
Speaking at the occasion, Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Syed Fakhar Jehan stated that the objective of this prestigious event was to honour and encourage Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s current sports legends. He announced the launch of monthly stipends for the province’s medalists of the Quaid-e-Azam Games and highlighted the government’s preparedness for the upcoming National Games, promising commendable performance from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s contingent.
The Minister emphasised that under the vision of Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and PTI Chairman Imran Khan, the provincial government remains committed to nurturing local talent, ensuring that no athlete is left unsupported.
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He added that over PKR 120 million have been disbursed as cash prizes to talented athletes in just one year, a merit-based, transparent process unmatched by any previous government.
He also revealed that the provincial government had actively advocated for hosting the South Asian Games in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but regretted that the federal government had not been supportive. Despite this, he reaffirmed the province’s willingness to bear all expenses for events if granted hosting rights, with support from sports associations.
The Minister concluded by reiterating the government’s resolve to promote sports infrastructure and talent, ensuring that athletes are empowered to excel in both their sporting careers and academics.
