PESHAWAR (SAID ALAM) - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Minister for Sports, Syed Aqil Shah has said that Inoki’s Wrestling for Peace Festival will be held here in Qayyum Stadium on December 5.
Inoki will bring 13 world famed Japanese wrestlers to participate in the event, Syed Aqil Shah said and added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is on board for the festival and foolproof security will be made for the event. He said Antonio Inoki (Inoki who embraced Islam and his Muslim name I M Hussain) has wished to promote wrestling in Pakistan. For this purpose he is holding the festival in Peshawar on 5th December 2012 and to each wrestler Inoki will pay US dollar one lakh for each fight in the festival, he added. Secretary Sports, Syed Jamaluddin Shah and Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association Zulfiqar Butt were accompanied the minister.
Aqil Shah said the purpose of holding the festival in Peshawar is to portray the soft image of Pakistan in general, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in particular to the world and to promote wrestling in Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well. Syed Aqil Shah claimed that Inoki has agreed to the training of Pakistani wrestlers by arranging the Japanese coaches and prepare Pakistan wrestling team for the International Wrestling World Championship. He hoped the holding of the event in Peshawar will give a great boast to the wrestling. Aqil said on the day of event various colourful programmes will also be held including band display, ultra light flying, para-gliding and traditional games. He said traditional music will also be presented on the occasion and Ministry of Culture will be taken on board for this purpose. He hoped that a large number of spectators exceeding 20,000 will witness the festival here in Qayyum Stadium while the whole world will watch the event through live telecast.
Syed Aqil Shah said organising committee for the Inoki’s wrestling for peace festival has been announced. Chief Minister KPK (Chief Patron), Syed Aqil Shah (patron), Chief Secretary (Chairman), Secretary Sports (president) and Sajjad Shah (Organising secretary) of the committee. Syed Aqil Shah hoped that the festival will be held successfully in Peshawar and through it Insha Allah soft image of Pakistan, Pakhtuns and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will go to the world.