PESHAWAR: The final round of the National Youth Carnival (NYC) Mega Challenge-2017 featuring 2,000 male and female students and youth would commence from December 9. Arrangements to hold the carnival were being finalised where participants from all across the country would compete in 30 different activities. Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs Secretary Muhammad Tariq Khan visited the Peshawar Sports Complex and reviewed the arrangement being made for the mega event. Various venues and halls at the Peshawar Sports Complex were being decorated with banners and other materials highlighting the culture of all provinces including Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the carnival. The NYC Mega Challenge-2017 carries the prize money of Rs 5 million. The event was first organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in 2013. The scope of event was expanded this time by involving more students of public and private universities and 11 seminaries. As many as 600 students and youth would represent the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 30 different categories of the event. A total of 1,000 student and youth selected after trials from other parts of the country would represent their respective provinces in the NYC. Besides, 400 other participants selected in various culture shows, education expos, city visits and other events will feature in the event this time. The participants would be given free accommodation, food and transportation. Talking to reporters, Muhammad Tariq Khan said the provincial government had allocated Rs1 billion to arrange healthy and constructive activities for the youth. He said trials were held in 121 public and private sector universities, postgraduate colleges and seminaries where 13,000 students from across the province participated in which 600 were short-listed for the event. He said that best among the lot were selected for the event. Competitions of drama, thematic art, painting, calligraphy, short film, Urdu, English & Pashto singing, traditional dances, music band, qiraat, spelling bee, Na’at, English & Urdu declamations, Urdu and Pashto essay writing, quiz competition, business plan, ad making, stand-up comedy, extra ordinary/unique talent, console gaming (FIFA 2017), chess and spot photography would held in the NYC. Published in Daily Times, December 7th 2017.