Dragon Boat Associations Established in Punjab and Khyber
PakhtunkhwaPESHAWAR / LAHORE: In a major step towards organizing and promoting dragon boat racing in Pakistan, Dragon Boat Associations have been established in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Prominent political and social figure Ameer Bahadur Khan Hoti has been elected as President of the Punjab Dragon Boat Association (PDBA). According to the notification, former bureaucrat Javed Marwat has been elected as President of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dragon Boat Association (KPDBA).In a meeting held in Lahore, senior sports journalist Muhammad Yousuf Anjum was elected as Secretary General of the Punjab association. Uzma Zaidi will serve as Senior Vice President while Naveed Akhtar Malik has been elected as Treasurer.In a separate meeting held in Peshawar, Javed Marwat, who has previously held several senior administrative positions in the province, was unanimously elected President of the KP association, while renowned sports organizer Naeem Gul was elected as Secretary General. Shamim Akhtar Jadoon will serve as Senior Vice President, Junaid Khan as Vice President, and Bilal Aslam as Treasurer.Speaking on the occasion, newly elected PDBA President Ameer Bahadur Khan Hoti said that Pakistan’s first dragon boat festival and competitions on the Kabul River had opened new avenues for the development of the sport. He said the enthusiasm shown by the participants and the promising prospects of the sport highlighted the need to establish a Pakistan Dragon Boat Federation to coordinate training, organize competitions, and support athletes.He added that dragon boat associations would be established in all four provinces and the federal capital Islamabad before the formal announcement of the national federation.Newly elected KPDBA President Javed Marwat said that efforts would be focused on introducing the sport at the provincial level and providing athletes with opportunities to compete at the national level and showcase their talent. He said teams would also be sent to represent Pakistan in international competitions.He further said that the sport would help strengthen people-to-people exchanges and further promote Pakistan-China friendship, expressing confidence that dragon boat racing would soon gain popularity throughout Pakistan.
