The Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) launched the ‘FIDE In-Person Training’ in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as part of the Prime Minister’s National Mind Sports Initiative for Schools (NMSI). This initiative collaborates with AJK’s elementary and secondary education departments, sports, youth, and culture.
FIDE, the International Chess Federation, oversees global chess competitions and facilitates in-person training camps for players.
The CFP announced this initiative on November 13 as the first such program under the NMSI in Pakistan. It aligns with FIDE’s Chess in Education Programme, offering participants global recognition and career opportunities through the CFP.
AJK’s Education Minister Deevan Ali Khan Chughtai, Chief Secretary Daud Ahmed Bareach, and CFP President Hanif Qureshi led the inauguration in Muzaffarabad.
FIDE EDU Commission Secretary Rita Atkins and Senior Lead Instructor Anzel Laubscher attended the event, emphasizing chess’s educational value.
Minister Chughtai reaffirmed AJK’s commitment to promoting extracurricular alongside academic pursuits, and Chief Secretary Bareach praised the region’s potential in sports.
The event featured chess games between masters and over 40 local students, with eighth graders Huzaifa Nauman and Ibrahim Amir from a top local school winning their matches.
Officials gathered participant feedback, and AJK’s Secretary for Sports, Rashid Hanif, highlighted the importance of incorporating extracurricular activities into the curriculum.
Participants expressed their enthusiasm for the training and appreciated the opportunity to play chess with international experts, finding it inspiring for personal growth.
