LAHORE: The Marka-e-Haq Games 2026 drew to a rousing close at the Punjab Stadium on Saturday with the much anticipated Sher-e-Lahore Dangal, a wrestling gala that attracted hundreds of sports enthusiasts and culminated in a dramatic title bout. The four day festival of sport, organised by the Sports Board Punjab on the direction of Punjab’s sports ministry, was staged to honour last year’s Operation Bunyan um Marsoos and to pay tribute to the country’s armed forces.
In the headline contest, Tayyab Raza Pehlwan emerged victorious, defeating M. Shuban Pehlwan to claim the Marka e Haq Sher e Lahore crown. The winner received a cheque of Rs 5.5 lakh, presented by Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar, while Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman distributed prizes among other winners. The closing ceremony was attended by senior officials including Secretary Sports Fazlur Rehman, SBP Vice Chairman Salman Malik, DG Sports Muhammad Tariq Qureshi, and renowned wrestlers Inam Butt and Bashir Bhola Bhala. The Dangal featured a string of competitive bouts across different weight categories. Other notable results saw M. Hira Pehlwan defeat M. Usman Pehlwan, Hasan Ali Pahlwan overcome Ali Raza Pehlwan, Hasnain Ali beat Raheel Ilyas, and the pairing of Nadir Pehlwan Allah Rakha and Akaash Pehlwan prevail over Efraheem Pehlwan. Spectators filled the stands and repeatedly chanted patriotic slogans, waving national flags and shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” and “Pakistan Army Zindabad” throughout the evening.
Addressing the media, Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar paid tribute to the martyrs and ghazis who sacrificed for the nation, saying the Marka e Haq Games were organised to honour the Pakistan Army and to send a message of unity and resilience. He announced plans to construct akharas in every tehsil of the province to promote traditional wrestling and grassroots participation, and described the events as a platform for spreading a message of peace and national pride through sport.
Officials highlighted that the Marka e Haq Games included multiple disciplines over the past days — from hockey and karate to cycling and wrestling — and were designed both to commemorate a historic national moment and to strengthen community engagement in physical activity. DG Sports Muhammad Tariq Qureshi noted the successful staging of earlier events and said the Dangal provided a fitting finale to the Games.
