LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar inaugurated Punjab Open Chess Championship, the biggest chess event of Punjab, at the Nishtar Park Sports Complex gymnasium hall by playing exhibition chess match against U-12 Punjab Junior Rapid Champion Raja Ihtamur Rehman. The 2-day event is being held under the aegis of Punjab Sports Department in which as many as 350 male and female players are participating in different categories. Addressing the opening ceremony, Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that chess is a game that improves mental skills and develops decision-making, patience and strategic abilities in the youth. He announced to construct a multi-storey sports complex for mind games at the Nishtar Park Sports Complex which will be equipped with all modern sports facilities. He said that Punjab Sports Department will take all possible measures to promote chess and other mind games among the younger generation. “The game of chess will also be included in the next editions of Khelta Punjab Games and Pink Games,” he said. He said that the sports of Punjab province are going in the right direction in accordance with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. “Demonstrating wonderful performance, Punjab province secured first position among all provinces in the last editions of National Games and Quaid-e-Azam Inter-provincial Games”. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026