The 35th edition of Pakistan’s National Games officially began in Karachi on Thursday, starting with a netball tournament at the Pakistan Sports Board Coaching Center. The opening match featured traditional rivals, defending champions Pakistan Army and WAPDA, drawing attention from sports enthusiasts.
Mohammad Khalid Mahmood, Secretary of the Pakistan Olympic Association, attended the event as a special guest. The formal opening ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at the National Stadium Karachi, with competitions in three sports already underway.
Men’s and women’s football tournaments began at PT Football Stadium, while shooting competitions took place at the Pakistan Navy Shooting Range, Kar Saz. Sailing events for both men and women commenced at the Pakistan Navy Dockyard.
Additional events will start on Saturday, including boxing at PT Sports Complex, hockey at HA Sports Complex, and tennis at Naya Nazimabad Gymkhana Courts, covering both male and female categories.
The National Games will continue across 23 venues in Karachi until December 13, featuring 32 sports with more than 9,000 athletes and officials from across the country.
Provincial teams began arriving from Thursday, with the Sindh Department of Culture hosting a warm welcome for the participants.
Paris Olympic 2025 gold medalist Arshad Nadeem is set to arrive in Karachi on Thursday to compete in the javelin event. The traditional Olympic torch and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will also be handed over to the host province, Sindh, ahead of the opening ceremony.
Preparations for the games are ongoing, though the appointments for the Chief and Deputy Chief De-Mission from the host province have yet to be announced.
