Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a high-level committee to organize the 14th South Asian Games. The multi-sport event will be held in Pakistan from January 23 to 31, 2026. The games were originally scheduled for 2021 but were delayed due to Covid-19 and later rescheduled to 2025.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will lead the committee, which will hold its first meeting in Islamabad on Monday. The meeting will review preparations, sports infrastructure, budget, and security arrangements for the games. The committee will submit its final recommendations on how to conduct the event successfully.
Read more: Pakistan to host 14th South Asian games in january 2026
Federal ministers including Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Rana Sanaullah, and Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb will be part of the committee. Other members include the Pakistan Olympic Association president, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, representatives from law enforcement, chief ministers, and federal secretaries.
Earlier this year, the South Asia Olympic Council (SAOC) held a meeting in Lahore to advance preparations for the games. The meeting highlighted achievements of South Asian athletes, including Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra, who won javelin medals at Paris 2024, inspiring youth across the region.
Read more: 14th South Asian Games to be held in Lahore, Sialkot, Faisalabad
If all goes as planned, the South Asian Games will feature athletes from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Organizers hope the event will promote sports, regional unity, and peace in South Asia despite recent tensions between Pakistan and India.