The Queen’s Baton Relay spent three days in Pakistan from 27 to 29 December.
On the first day, Martin Dawson, Deputy High Commissioner, hosted a Welcome Ceremony at the Commission, which several dignitaries and athletes attended to celebrate the arrival of the Queen’s Baton Relay. Batonbearers at the event included Jahangir Khan (former World No. 1 professional Pakistani squash player), Hassan Sardar (former field hockey player and team captain), Abdul Rashid Al-Hasan (former field hockey player), Kulsoom Hazara (karate practitioner), Mehrullah Lassi (former Pakistani amateur boxer), and Arshad Hussain (retired boxer).
The second day began at Sindh Madressat-ul-Islam University (SMIU), which is one of the oldest educational institutions in Pakistan and where Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, studied. A special ceremony was held and lots of people and athletes came to experience the Relay.
That afternoon, the Baton was taken to Mazar-e-Quaid-e-Azam, the final resting place of Muhammed Ali Jinnah. The sun shone down as a mini relay took place between children, athletes, and dignitaries.
On the final day in Pakistan, the Relay visited Karachi Grammar School, the oldest private school in Pakistan. Byram and Goshpi Avari, a married team who won a gold medal in sailing together at the 1982 Asian games, passed on the Baton to a student to start a relay of students at the school. Attendees at the school also took part in a tree planting event to commemorate the occasion.
The final stop of the Relay was Kakri Ground, with performances of the lewa dance of Lyari and the Pakistan Rangers Band. Children demonstrated their sporting abilities in boxing, cycling, football, and karate. Traditional donkey driven carts were also paraded around the Ground- one carrying Aqsa Dawood, Batonbearer and Ambassador of Asian Football Confederation.
