Daily Times

Islamabad: Pakistan Super League’s franchise Peshawar Zalmi in collaboration with the Zalmi Foundation and World Council of Religions announced to launch ‘The Madrasa Cricket League’. “The main aim of this league is to promote peace and interfaith harmony among the youth”, said Zalmi Chairman Javed Afridi in a press conference. Maulana Muhammad Yaseen Zafar, Secretary-General, Wifaq-ul-Madaris Al-Salfia, Hafiz Muhammad Nauman Hamid, Executive Director – WCR Pakistan, Father Nadeem Francis (Secretary: Catholic Bishops Conference Pakistan) & Sardar Kalyan Singh (Sikh Community Leader) were also present and announced the initiative.

Afridi said that Zalmi Madrasa League is the first step in achieving this long-term vision as of peace and prosperity can be spread throughout the world. Through this league, the students of madrasa will be diverted towards cricket and with this, they will also be exposed to religious conferences that will help them in enhancing their knowledge. Students from all Madrasas will participate in this league. During the press conference, the logo and kits of the league were also revealed. After Phase I in KP, the league will be spread throughout other provinces where there will be a final between the best madrasa teams. The star bowlers of Peshawar Zalmi, Umaid Asif, and Ibtisam Sheikh, along with Athar Ismail DIG Lahore, Nasim Khan Achakzai, Director CSRP, Maryam Khan, Adl Home Secretary, Fouzia Waqar, Chairperson Punjab commission on the status of Women were also present in the press conference.

Published in Daily Times, July 15^th 2018.