Pakistan is a country where numerous games are played at international and national level besides traditional sports: Desi Kushti (Mud Wrestling), Kabaddi, Horse Dance, Chirpiest Partridge competition, Goli Pila, Tent Pegging, Stone Lifting, Shooting Volley Ball, Bull Racing, Pitthu Garam, Gulli Danda, Cokela Chupati, and Veeni (Wrist grabbing) are some of known traditional sports.
Muhammad Jabaar, a sportsman, told APP on Sunday that sports are actually the common denominator in the world that bring everyone together. If there is only one place across the globe where equality exits, it is probably sports. It was something that always did not happen. We have come a long way in sports. Why can’t society use sports as a way to bring people together and create change? It teaches us there is always a second inning in life. If we fail today, there is another chance may be two days later. May be there is another opportunity coming three or six months later. If we look at mistakes as learning and never commit to repeat, then we actually get better with every mistake we make, he explains.
The terms “Kushti” and “Pehelvani” are expressions derived from Persian Khushti and Pahalvani respectively.
Kabaddi is another famous traditional game played between two teams with seven players each. The game requires a rider of a team who is sent to other team’s court. He takes breath and keeps chanting “Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi” without any break. He tries to tag one of the defenders with his hand or leg and runs back to his court to point a score. The defender has to chase the rider and stop him by wrestling him to ground before he escapes without breaking his chant.
A media official, Muhammad Ramzan , told APP that Kabaddi is believed to be played first by the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak. Hence Sikhs consider it their religious game. Mostly, it is played in Indian and Pakistani Punjab. Pakistan has an international Kabaddi team which won the World Cup in 2020 held in Lahore, Faisalabad and Gujrat. It was the 6th World Cup since 2010.
Irfan Mana, Shafiq Chishti, Lala Obaid Ullah Kambo, Ajmal Shahzad Dogar, and Saif Ullah Bhatti are celebrated players of Pakistani team. Pakistan also constituted a women kabaddi team led by Madeeha Latif. The team participated in the 2014-15 World Cup.
Pitthu Garam is known for all the excitement aiming, running, catching, hitting, and even harmless violence. The game is played by two teams and requires a ball and some stones that will be assembled to form a tower. Team “A” piles up the stones and makes a tower. They then strike the pile with a ball at a distance of 3-4 meters. Team “B” has to catch the ball after it hits the pile without letting it bounce. If they are able to catch it, Team “A” loses its turn. But if they are not, Team “A” then tries to reassemble the stones, while Team “B” hits them with the ball. If they are able to dodge the balls and assemble the stones, they win.
Last but not the least, horse dance is also a well-liked traditional sports in the country. Horse keepers train them for this purpose. They dance to the tune of drums at festivals and other events.
Sports official Muhammad Wasim said that though these are non-Olympic games, but played in far and wide of the country.