Colorful Janshan-e-Mardan Sports Festival – Ya Ha Mardan got under way at Mardan Sports Complex under the aegis of District Administration, District Govt and Regional Sports Officer Mardan with hundreds and thousands of families turned up amidst great fun and joys.
DC Mardan Muhammad Abid Khan Wazir was the chief guest on this occasion who formally inaugurated the three-day colorful Janshan-e-Mardan Festival being organized after a lapse of 23 long years. The Janshan-e-Mardan was earlier held in 1996 when Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao was the Chief Minister in the PPP govt.
Additional DC Qasim Ali Khan, Nazim Mardan Ihtisham Khan, Naib Nazim and Chairman Organizing Committee Asad Ali Kashmiri, Director Finance Zaheer Uddin, DPO Mardan, DEO Mardan, Regional Sports Officer Kashif Farhan, Administrator Mir Bashar Khan were also present during the colorful opening ceremony.
Like in past, this year the Janshan-e-Mardan Festival also carrying Ten Pegging, Bull Race, traditional Makha (archery) (playing with long arrow and a long bow), tug-of-war, dog race, traditional kabaddi, musical night show, skits of the prominent comedians including Said Rehman Shino, Marawas, Ismail Shahid, singers Irfan Kamal, Bakhtiar Khattak, Waheed Khan Achakzai, Khalid Malik, Rarran, Gulshanga, Sofia Kaif, Sehrish besides qirat, naat, declamation competitions, national song and horse race competitions.
The ceremony was started with the recitation from the Holy Quran by Qari Jibran, a local school, boy, followed by a melodious Naat presented by class 6th student Jawad Khan. The school kids of Mardan presented a smart national anthem, followed by traditional Mahsud, Khattak and Betani dance performances by the jawans of Frontier Constabulary (FC).
There were hundreds and thousands of spectators including families enjoyed the thrilling Mukha contests played with long four meter arrow and a three meter bow. Gul Bali Shah team defeated Siddique XI of Shamozai on points in Mukha. Gul Bali Shah made 45 points with three 10 pointers by hitting the bull eyes while Siddique XI of Shamozai scored 43 points including two 10 pointers.
In the kabaddi match Sherharr village defeated Mardan club in the opening match by 55-53. In the Tug of war Mardan Colour team recorded 2-1 victory against Mardan White.
The school kids of GGHS Shingar presented a melodious song Dil Dil Pakistan and Da Guloona Pakistan (flowers of Pakistan) national songs. Famous Comedians Said Rehman Shinoo, Ismail Shah and Marawas turned the whole complexion into a melodious one as the spectators compelled to come up on their toes with cheering hands and chanting slogans “Ya Ha Mardan (This is Mardan).
Prominent singers including Irfan Kamal, Bakhtiar Khattak, Waheed Khan Achakzai, Khalid Malik, female singers Rarran, Gulshanga, Sofia Kaif, Sehrish also enthralled the spectators with their prominent numbers. There were almost 70 different stalls of readymade garments, electronic home use appliances, mobile phones, stalls of different companies from Karachi, Lahore, Gujrat, Gujrawala, 1122, stalls of prominent delicious food that attract large number of spectators.
Speaking on this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Mardan Muhammad Abid Khan Wazir appreciated the organizing committee for holding Janshan-e-Mardan –Ya Ha Mardan Festival. He said with the Almighty Allah peace has been restored to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and merger tribal districts along with whole of Pakistan that is why initiative has been taken to prominent healthy entertainment to the people of Mardan and people of other part of the country.
He said the District Administration, District Govt and Regional Sports Officer would hold more such like activities in future as well and also provide much needed support to the youth so that they could come up and explore their talent.