Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Friday stressed that the 14th South Asian Games, to be hosted by Pakistan next year, will serve as a platform for the country to showcase its “soft image” to the world.
After several delays, the 14th South Asian Games will be held in Pakistan from Jan. 23-31, 2026. Co-chairing a meeting with Adviser to the P.M. Rana Sanaullah, Iqbal reviewed the country’s preparation, declaring the event an honor for Pakistan and a source of great pride.
Inter-Provincial Coordination Secretary Zahoor Ahmed briefed the participants, who included the president of the Pakistan Olympic Association and other relevant stakeholders, on plans for the event. He said the government was planning to organize training camps for various sports, including volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, taekwondo, athletics, hockey, and others. Additionally, the meeting decided to hire foreign coaches for sports such as volleyball and taekwondo.
The meeting was informed that the Games would take place in multiple cities, with events planned in Lahore, Faisalabad, Narowal, and Islamabad. Ahmed also shared that preparations for a dedicated South Asian Games Secretariat were underway and would soon be finalized.
Iqbal stressed that successful conduct of the Games would prove the country is a safe and peaceful destination for hosting international events. He said that as a majority of the event would proceed in Punjab, the province should be given ownership of the Games. The Punjab Sports secretary assured the meeting that the Punjab government, especially in Lahore, would provide every possible support for the event.
The meeting decided to form a sub-committee, under the leadership of the IPC secretary, to determine which Games would be held in which province and at which venue. The committee would also visit the venues in all participating cities to identify the requirement for any additional infrastructure or facilities and submit its recommendations in the next meeting.
During the meeting, the participants also engaged in a thorough discussion on logistics, security, venue selection, athlete training, and the recruitment of foreign coaches. At the conclusion of the meeting, relevant authorities were directed to take immediate steps to finalize requirements for the successful hosting of the Games.