All Pakistan Dostan Football League begins in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The All Pakistan Dostan Football League has started at the football ground of Qayyum Sports Complex in Peshawar under the auspices of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Directorate General of Sports.

The tournament opened with a formal ceremony led by Provincial Minister for Health Mian Khaliqur Rehman. The event was also attended by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Director General Sports Tashfeen Haider, Dostan Club CEO Muhammad Yousaf Afridi, Director Operations Jamshed Baloch, Assistant Director Finance Shah Faisal, international footballer Gohar Zaman, Regional Sports Officer Sajid Khan, RSO Kashif Farhan and other guests.

According to the details shared at the opening, 17 teams from different parts of the country are taking part in the league. The participating sides include Police Football Club, Milyo Star Mardan, Atish Club, K-P Education Board, Afghan Football Club, Peshawar Football Club, Chitral Club, Khyber Green FATA, Quetta Football Club, DFA Bannu, Dara Markhor Club and Coco Football Club Islamabad, among others.

Officials highlight role of sports

Speaking at the ceremony, Mian Khaliqur Rehman said the provincial government was taking practical measures to promote sports in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He said football has an important role in involving young people in constructive activities.

The minister said competitions of this kind give players a platform to display their abilities and also contribute to improving the standard of sports in the province.

Director General Sports Tashfeen Haider said the Directorate was committed to the promotion of sports and to providing improved facilities for young athletes. He said tournaments such as the All Pakistan Dostan Football League create opportunities for emerging players and would help further strengthen football in the province.

The league has brought together teams from across Pakistan at the Qayyum Sports Complex, with organisers presenting it as a national-level football event aimed at encouraging participation and talent development.

The opening ceremony marked the formal launch of the competition in what organisers described as a major sporting event in Peshawar. With 17 teams in action, the league is set to feature clubs and sides from multiple regions, reflecting broad participation in the tournament.

Officials attending the event underlined the importance of sustained sporting activity for youth engagement and athlete development, while also reiterating the role of institutional support in expanding football opportunities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.