KARACHI: The Pakistan Army has been at the forefront of winning gold medals at the 35th National Games in Karachi. The athletes and teams of the Pakistan Army secured another 31 gold medals across athletics, swimming, and several team sports. The strong performance kept the department firmly at the top of the medal standings.
By the end of the intense competition day, the Pakistan Army had won 144 gold medals, 72 silver, and 42 bronze. The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) maintained its second position after lifting its gold tally to 61, while Pakistan Navy stayed in third with 28 top honours.
Jehanara Nabi Drives Swimming Success
Pakistan Army also claimed the general trophy in women’s swimming earlier in the day. Olympian Jehanara Nabi led the charge by delivering an exceptional performance. She won five individual gold medals and added three team golds to strengthen the department’s overall lead.
Army dominated the women’s swimming discipline with 12 gold medals, finishing well ahead of Sindh, which managed four. The victory further solidified Army’s commanding position across multiple sporting categories at the Games.
Provincial Race Led by Punjab
Among the provinces, Punjab continued to lead the medal standings with 10 gold medals and 84 total medals. Host Sindh followed closely with five golds as provincial competitions intensified.
The 35th National Games features 14 teams representing departments and provinces, including hosts Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. Departments such as Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, WAPDA, Pakistan Police and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) are also participating.
Closing Ceremony Scheduled for December 13
The ongoing Games will continue until December 13 and conclude with a grand closing ceremony at the National Bank Stadium. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to attend the event, adding national prominence to the finale.
