NAROWAL/SIALKOT-President Mamnoon Hussain has linked national development and prosperity with the promotion of sports and other healthy activities, saying promotion sports is vital for physical and mental growth of the children.
"Good physical and mental health creates positive thoughts, which is prerequisite for a healthy society."
President Mamnoon Hussain was addressing the participants the inaugural ceremony of the newly-established Sports Complex at Narowal here Sunday afternoon. Federal Interior Minister Ch Ahsan Iqbal, Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi and local parliamentarians were also present on the occasion.
The president stressed that it is a national obligation of every one to come forward and play due role in grooming the young generation for future challenges.
He said that the government is fully aware of the problems being faced by the youth and making all-out sincere efforts for its solution. "The government attaches great significance to the youth and is utilising all available resources to explore and polish talent among the youth," he claimed, adding that Pakistani youth is very talented and they just opportunity to exhibit their God-gifted prowess.
The president said that the government has established a strong base for bringing revolution in education, energy and economy sectors by bringing in radical changes, which have paved the way for a true revolution in the country.
Mamnoon Hussain urged the young generation to utilize their capabilities for regain international glory in sports, adding that Pakistan had won world titles in different sports including squash, hockey and cricket.
He argued that the diversion of attention from sports' promotion in the past had shut the door of victories on Pakistan in international sports events, adding that this had led to the spread negative trends in every sphere of life.
He emphasised that the promotion and due patronage sports could also help curb the menace of the terrorism, extremism, militancy and insurgency, saying that sports and games could also pave the way for the establishment of durable peace. He recalled that the Pakistani nation had sacrificed as many as 70,000 lives in war against terrorism, adding that the government would continue the struggle for weeding out terrorism from the country to secure future of the youth.
The president said that the promotion of quality education with sports and other health activities among the youth is also vital to crush terrorism, ignorance, poverty and unemployment for bright future.
Mamnoon Hussain pointed out that the history bears testimony to the fact that only those nations have achieved climax of development and prosperity, which had developed playgrounds and promoted sports. He asked the youth to get maximum benefits of the available sports facilities for upholding the prestige of Pakistan in the World.
Earlier, President Mamnoon Hussain inaugurated the newly-established Sports Complex. Besides Federal Minister for Interior Ch Ahsan Iqbal, PCB Chairman Najam Sethi, cricketers including Inzimamul Haq, Misbahul Haq, Shoaib Malik, Muhammad Hafeez, Suhail Tanveer, Abdur Razzaq, Ahmed Shehzad, local MPAs - Khawaja Waseem Butt, Rana Manan Khan, Sardar Ramaish Singh Arora, Narowal Deputy Commissioner Ali Anaan Qamar, Chairman Narowal District Council Ch Ahmed Iqbal and DPO Imran Kishwar were also present on the occasion.

President Mamnoon Hussain being briefed by Interior Minister Prof Ahsan Iqbal about the Sports City Complex during its inaugural ceremony.–APP