Paralympic Games: Amb. Matsuda extends good wishes

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ISLAMABAD: The ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Matsuda Kuninori has extended good wishes and success to Pakistani athletes participating in the Tokyo Paralympic Games which were scheduled to kick off on Tuesday.

Two Pakistani athletes were featuring in the Tokyo Paralympic Games including Haider Ali and Ms. Anila Baig.

“Congratulations to the athletes, coaches, supporting staff and the families of the Pakistan’s Paralympic Team for their resilience to compete in the Games especially during the time of challenging COVID-19 situation. I am sure that the Pakistani Paralympians will do their best for their country,” he said in a statement issued here.

After an impressive Tokyo Olympics finished on August 8, the Tokyo Paralympics begins on Tuesday (August 24) Overall theme for both the Olympics and Paralympics was “Moving Forward” and the theme for the opening ceremony for the Paralympics is “We Have Wings”.

While expressing his good wishes and solidarity on the occasion of Tokyo Paralympics, the President of Pakistan’s Milestone Society for Special Persons, Muhammad Shafiq ur Rehman, also congratulated the Pakistani athletes for their dedication and hard work for the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, Pakistan team could not participate with a large contingent but still we are praying and hoping for the two Pakistani athletes to perform well and win medals for the country.”

Shafiq also extended his gratitude to the Japanese people with disabilities who had donated wheelchairs to Milestone Society for Special Persons in 2002. That donation from our Japanese friends helped us to start sports activities for persons with disabilities here in Pakistan and also introduced wheelchair cricket as a new game in the world.

“Our heart is full of respect and love for our Japanese friends. We have a spiritual relation which is getting strengthened every time new sun rises. Long live Pakistan Japan brotherhood” said the President of Milestone Society for Special Persons.

“We have received very precious support by the embassy of Japan and developed the first center with full accessibility of international standard in Lahore Pakistan. We are also very thankful to the Embassy of Japan to ensure the accessibility for the wheelchair users at their premises. Our Japanese friends always supported us with great knowledge and resources,” he said.

It was pertinent to mention here that Tokyo becomes the first city which hosts Paralympics twice in the history.