ISLAMABAD ( Web News )
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce (ICCI) called for promoting games in youth, which will help develop their minds and sharpen their intellectual & mental skills enabling them to excel in education and play a more effective role in the economic development of the country. He said this while addressing as chief guest the closing ceremony of the two-day Pakistan history’s largest Azadi Cup 2021 Chess Tournament organized at Pakistan Sports Complex by the Islamabad Chess Association (ICA) and Chess Association of the Punjab (CAP) to celebrate the Independence Day of Pakistan.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan distributed cash prizes, trophies and medals among the winners. Cash prizes of Rs.150,000, trophies and gift hampers worth Rs.150,000 were also distributed among the winners and participants.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the tournament, Additional Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Rana Waqas Anwar said that chess can play a vital role in enhancing the mental capacity of the young generation by engaging them in such tournaments and activities. He said that the district administration of Islamabad will continue to support Islamabad Chess Association to organize such initiatives in future.
Director General of Pakistan Sports Board, Mr. Col. (Retd) Muhammad Asif Zaman congratulated the Tournament directors for organizing the largest chess tournament in the history of the country and added that the next year will be declared as the “Year of Sports” by the Government of Pakistan to fulfill its mission of bringing youth in playing fields.
In the U-14 children, women and open categories, more than 250 Chess Players from all four provinces of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir showed their talent. Players from Chitral, Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, Swat, Peshawar, Balochistan, Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and other districts of Punjab competed in the historic Azadi Cup 2021. In the Azadi Cup 2021, Pakistan’s youngest, only 6 years old Nyme Murad defeated two players and the 85-year old Players also clinched young brains with their experience. In the two-day competition, National Master Wahid Hussain became the champion in the rapid open category. The second position was won by Ehtesham-ul-Haq from Gujranwala, while the third position was won by Muhammad Aslam of Mandi Bahauddin. In the Under-14 Category, Ijtaba Amer from Lahore got first position, Raja Hasham ur Rahman from Islamabad got second position and Imtisal ur Rehman Hassan from Quetta won the third position. In Islamabad category, first position was won by Chaudhry Arqam Haroon, second position by Muhammad Yaqub Ahmed and third position by Muhammad Waqar Hussain. Hafsa Hamid of Islamabad, Noor Fatima Rashid of Lahore and Rabia Hashmi of Islamabad bagged the first, second and third positions respectively in the women’s category. In open blitz category first position was won by National Master Liaqat Ali of Islamabad. CM Wasim Akram of Lahore stood second and Dr. Sadim Lodhi of Multan bagged the third position.
The President of ICA Ejaz Ahmad Abbasi, Secretary ICA Raja Gauhar Iqbal, President CAP Hanif Qureshi, Secretary CAP Amer Karim announced to organize similar tournaments across the country. Former Chairman Chess Federation of Pakistan Saleem Khan, President KPK Chess Association Umar Khan and President Balochistan Chess Association Masood Zaman also assured all possible cooperation for the promotion of chess in future. The Islamabad Sports Board, Pakistan Sports Board, AEO Pakistan, Marcom Communications and Hashoo Foundation also cooperated in organizing the Azadi Cup 21 Chess Tournament.