The Punjab Sports Department has commenced trials for provincial teams at various venues of the Nishter Park Sports Complex ahead of the 35th National Games, scheduled in Karachi from December 6 to 13. The trials, covering badminton, kabaddi, and weightlifting, are being conducted under the supervision of expert coaches and selection committees, with Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry personally inspecting the process to ensure transparency and merit-based selection.
Badminton trials were held at the Gymnasium Hall, overseen by selectors Tayyab Sohail, Zareena Waqar, and M Sajid, with dozens of players participating. At the Elite Training Centre, kabaddi and weightlifting trials drew significant interest, with more than 50 kabaddi players competing under the supervision of Tahir Waheed Jutt, Kh Hassan Raza, Shahid Iqbal Butt, and Raja Mumtaz Arif, who will finalize a 12-member Punjab kabaddi squad.
The highlight of the day was the Punjab Women’s Weightlifting Team trials, where over 20 athletes from Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Sialkot competed across eight categories (48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg, and +86kg). Amna Bibi (Faisalabad) emerged as the standout performer with a lift of 124kg, followed by Fatima Akram (122kg) and Amna Babar (120kg). Lahore produced three winners, while Faisalabad and Gujranwala contributed two each. Category winners included Maham Qasim (48kg, Lahore), Iman Fatima (53kg, Lahore), Mariam Sehar (58kg, Faisalabad), Taqdees Qayyum (63kg, Lahore), Amna Babar (69kg, Lahore), Amna Bibi (77kg, Faisalabad), Zainab Saleem (86kg, Gujranwala), and Zumar Mughal (+86kg, Gujranwala).
The trials were inaugurated by Ms. Nuzhat Jabeen, Chairperson of the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation, alongside Abdul Sattar Rahi. Organizing Secretary Aqeel Javed Butt, General Secretary of the Punjab Weightlifting Association, coordinated the event, supported by a large panel of officials including Rashid Nadeem Butt, Anjum Rohail Butt, Kashif Ali, Abdullah Sohail Butt, Tariq Azam, Zaheer Akram, Hafiz Imran Azizi, Naila Maqsood Butt, Maryam Aqeel Butt, Aina Akbar, Muniba Imtiaz, and Bisma Jutt.
DG Sports Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry reiterated that Punjab’s training camps will run from November 24 to December 3, ensuring athletes are fully prepared for the National Games. He emphasized that merit would remain the guiding principle: “The best players will represent the province, and there will be no compromise on merit.”