This sports gala was organized by District Sports Officer Aamir Zaman with the support of Directorate of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and district administration. On the occasion of the opening ceremony, Additional Deputy Commissioner Irfanuddin was chief guest who cut the ribbon and inaugurated this sports festival.
The sports festival consisted of a number of different sports and games, including tug of war, badminton, carom, volleyball, musical chairs, musical show and sack race. Two teams were arranged for each game. Teams of prisoners, as well as teams of prison staff participated in these games.
In the tug-of-war as well as the carom competition, the prison staff team won the final trophy. However, in the volleyball competition, the prisoners team won first place by defeating the prison staff team. In musical chairs, the prisoners team was declared the winner, while the jail staff team was declared runner-up and the final trophy was won by the prisoner team. Similarly, the prisoner team won the trophy by defeating the prison staff team in the sack race.
On the occasion of the closing ceremony, Deputy Commissioner Chitral Anwarul Haq was the guest who distributed trophies and prizes among the players. In his address, he said that no child is born a criminal, rather when they are exposed to a bad environment, they commit crimes that lands them in jail. He said, "Freedom is a great blessing and the prisoners here cannot go out of the prison gate."
He emphasized to all the prisoners that the purpose of their imprisonment here is to reform them so that when they come out from here, they will live as peaceful and useful citizens and will not commit any kind of sin or crime in the future. On this occasion, shields were also given to journalists Ishtiaq Ahmed and Gul Hamaad Farooqi for their excellent services in the field of journalism.
Talking to our correspondent, District Sports Officer Aamir Zaman said that the main purpose of organizing sports tournaments for prisoners inside the jail is to keep these prisoners mentally and physically healthy and fit as well as reform them so that when they release from here, they can participate in sports, positive activities and to not commit any crime in the future and become a useful citizen.
Jail Superintendent Usman Javed said, "These kinds of sporting opportunities and healthy activities are very important for these prisoners," adding that this way, the 'psychologically negative effects' on their minds will disappear, and at the same time they will be reformed and will live as a 'useful citizen'.
Deputy Commissioner Anwar-ul-Haq said that the provincial government is starting a program in all the jails across the province in which these prisoners will be taught skills, crafts or any art to make them a profitable as a human being who will work for their livelihood. He said, "The purpose of keeping them in jail is not only to punish, but to reform them so they are able to earn their livelihood with honor."
The inmates as well as the staff of the District Jail of Chitral were very happy to organize a sports tournament for the first time.