ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to host the South Asian Games from April 3 to 11 next year, with Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar selected as the three venues for the regional sporting event.

The Games will return to Pakistan after a gap of 23 years, with the country having last hosted the regional sports gala in Islamabad in 2004.

The dates and preparations were discussed and approved during a meeting of the Executive Committee of the South Asia Olympic Council held in Islamabad on Sunday. Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) president Arif Saeed, who also serves as president of the South Asian Olympic Committee, chaired the meeting.

Representatives from Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka attended the meeting physically, while India joined through video link. Sources said all participating representatives endorsed the proposed dates.

A visiting delegation will inspect the proposed sports venues in Islamabad on Monday as part of preparations for the Games.

The event will include 28 sports and 346 medal events, with more than 3,200 athletes expected to compete across the three host cities. Pakistan is preparing to accommodate around 4,000 athletes and other foreign visitors, along with a large number of technical officials.

During the meeting, representatives from the participating countries reviewed the arrangements being made by Pakistan and discussed measures aimed at ensuring the successful organisation of the Games.

The federal government has already approved the hosting of the event and authorised the POA and other stakeholders to proceed with preparations. It has also assured that the required funds will be released.

Pakistan was initially scheduled to host the South Asian Games in 2021, but the event was postponed for various reasons. Preparations for the Games are now reportedly in their final stages.

The visiting delegation also toured the Taxila Museum and other historical sites on Sunday.

Meanwhile, sources said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had started preparations, on the federal government’s directions, to arrange accommodation and other facilities for foreign visitors expected in Islamabad next year.

The arrangements will also cover visitors coming for other major international events, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conference.

A senior government official said the federal government was taking all possible measures to ensure the successful organisation of three major international events in Islamabad next year — the South Asian Games, SCO conference and an OIC meeting.

The official said the POA, Foreign Office and federal government were closely monitoring the preparations.

“Everyone is on board and working as a team for these Games,” the official said.

On India’s participation, the official pointed out that its representative had joined Sunday’s meeting through video link and endorsed the proposed dates. According to him, this indicated that India intended to take part in the Games.

However, another source said India’s participation could not yet be confirmed.

The source noted that India had previously avoided travelling to Pakistan for sporting events and had recently stayed away from a volleyball event, adding that India had been mixing politics with sports.