Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, APR. 14, APP—The Islamabad leg of the Torch Relay for this year’s Beijing Olympics will be held in a grand manner within the Pakistan Sports Complex on Wednesday. The final plans of the Torch Relay were released to Print and Electronic media at a crowded ceremony here on Monday with President of Pakistan Olympic Association, Lt. Gen. ® Syed Arif Hasan, and Media Coordinator of Beijing Olympics Organising Committee (BOCOG), Ms. Shasha, present on the occasion.

Arif said the President and the Prime Minister of the country will be present to watch the Torch Relay which will start in the afternoon from Jinnah Stadium, will then a take a round of roads around the stadium before entering the Liaquat Gymnasium for the final part of the Torch Relay—all within the sprawling Pakistan Sports Complex.

The entire ceremony will be shown live while strict security arrangements have already been finalized for the Torch Relay which will be the first time ever that Torch of any Olympics will come to Pakistan.

Gen. Arif also released the list of 66 persons, majority of them former Pakistani players from hockey, squash and tennis, who will carry the torch, one after the other, from the starting point to the Liaquat Gymnasium for the final fuctions which will culminate in the lighting of the cauldron.

Among the runners of the Torch Relay will be the Chinese Ambassador in Islamabad, Luo Zhaohui.

“People of Pakistan are already excited about this Olympics Torch Relay and they will extend total support for its grand success”, POA President said.

To a question, Arif said the theme of the August 8-24 Beijing Olympics is Harmony and Peace among the nations and these goals would be achieved.

To another question, he said he himself and Sports Minister Khwaja Muhammad

Asif will be among those to receive the Olympics Torch Relay when it arrives at Islamabad Airport from Muscat, as part of its world tour, in the small hours of Wednesday.

Ms. Shasha showed a replica of the Olympic Torch Relay, which will cover a distance of 137,000 kilometres before arriving in Beijing.

The Relay raises the slogan “light the passion and share the dream”.A documentary was also shown on this occasion.

Also present was Rizwan U. Khan, Country President of Coca Cola which is one of the world-wide sponsors of Olympics Torch Relay.

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Tags: beijing, Islamabad, Jinnah Stadium, olympics, Torch Relay