Pakistan to host South Asian Games in April 2027

Staff Report

LAHORE: Pakistan will host the South Asian Games from April 3 to 11 next year, 23 years after it last staged the regional sports gala in Islamabad in 2004. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the South Asia Olympic Council held here on Sunday, with Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) president Arif Saeed, who is also president of the South Asian Olympic Committee, in the chair. The meeting reviewed preparations for the Games and approved three host cities — Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. Representatives from Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka attended the meeting in person, while India participated through video link. All the representatives endorsed the proposed dates, according to sources. A visiting delegation is scheduled to inspect proposed sporting venues in Islamabad on Monday.

The Games will feature 28 sports and 346 medal events, with more than 3,200 athletes expected to participate across the three host cities. A large number of technical officials will also be part of the event, with Pakistan preparing to host around 4,000 athletes and other foreign visitors. During Sunday’s meeting, representatives of the participating countries reviewed preparations and measures being taken by Pakistan to host the regional event. The federal government has already given the go-ahead to the POA and other stakeholders to hold the Games and announced that the required funds would be released. Pakistan was originally scheduled to host the Games in 2021, but the event was subsequently postponed for various reasons. Preparations are now said to be in their final stages. The visiting delegation also visited the Taxila Museum and other historical sites on Sunday.

Sources said the Capital Development Authority (CDA), on the direction of the federal government, had started preparations to provide accommodation and other facilities to foreign visitors arriving in Islamabad next year for the South Asian Games and other international events, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conference. “The federal government has been taking every possible step to make the three international events next year in Islamabad highly successful — the South Asian Games, SCO conference and a meeting of the OIC,” a senior government official told Dawn. He said the POA, Foreign Office and federal government were monitoring preparations to ensure that the Games were hosted successfully. “Everyone is on board and working as a team for these Games,” he said. Asked about India’s participation, the official said its representative had joined Sunday’s meeting through video link and endorsed the dates, which, according to him, indicated that India intended to participate. However, another source cautioned that India’s participation could not yet be confirmed. “India has been mixing politics with sports and has avoided visiting Pakistan. Even recently, it did not participate in a volleyball event,” the source said.