By Zeeshan Hussain
Karachi, The National Games began at the Pakistan Sports Board Coaching Centre with the kickoff of the netball tournament, where the opening match was played between defending champions Pakistan Army and traditional rivals WAPDA. Secretary of the Pakistan Olympic Association, Khalid Mahmood, attended as the chief guest. The formal opening ceremony of the Games will take place on Saturday at the National Stadium Karachi, while competitions in football, shooting ball and sailing will commence from Friday across various venues. Boxing, hockey and tennis events will also begin on Saturday.
The National Games will continue across 23 venues in Karachi until December 13, featuring over 9,000 athletes and officials from across the country participating in 32 sports. Provincial contingents will start arriving today and will be warmly received, while Paris Olympics 2025 gold medallist Arshad Nadeem is also reaching Karachi today. The traditional Olympic torch and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will be handed over to host Sindh on Thursday, although the announcement of the chief de mission and deputy chief de mission for the Games is still pending.
