Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the First Pakistan Olympic Games at Karachi on 22nd April, 1948

Pir Illahi Baksh, Mr. Ahmed Jaffer, Members of the Organizing and other Committees, Ladies and Gentlemen:

It has given me great pleasure to come here today to perform the opening ceremony of the first Pakistan Olympic games. I agreed to become the patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Olympic Association in the realisation that the success of our people in all walks of life depends upon the cultivation of "Sound Minds" the natural concomitant to "Sound Bodies". To the athletes and youth of the nation I bid welcome. My message to you is: build up physical strength not for aggression, not for militarism, but for becoming fighting fit, all your life and all the time in every walk of life of your nation wherever you be and always to be a force for peace, international amity and goodwill. After these games you shall go to the World Olympic at Wembley Stadium, London, representing us as messengers of our goodwill and my best wishes will go with you. Remember to win is nothing, it is the effort and the spirit behind the effort that count.

To the organizers of Olympic games I say well-done for successfully completing the preparations for this meet in so short a time. You say you want a Stadium and are planning to hold Pan-Islamic Olympics in l95O, and I hope your wishes may materialize. It all depends on you. Your demand for a State Department of Physical Culture and Education is one which requires consideration of Pakistan Government. I hope that they will examine. this aspect of the matter in dealing with many educational problems that are facing us.

In the end, I thank you for your warm welcome and wish you every success.

Pakistan Zindabad