Pakistani policemen guard the Jinnah Stadium, venue for the SAF Games in Islamabad, on Sunday. (Reuters)

Islamabad: Pistol shooter Jaspal Rana will be the flag bearer of the Indian contingent during the march past at the opening ceremony of the ninth SAF Games here Monday.

Baljit Singh Sethi, Indian Chef de Mission, said the 170-odd athletes who have arrived so far will participate in the march past.

The participants will be wearing specially designed costumes, with event scheduled for the evening under lights. The opening ceremony would be as per the SASF constitution, the highlight being cultural and entertainment show, he added.

Jubilant over regaining the opportunity to host the Games, which was postponed thrice due to security concerns, Islamabad is determined to show that the ongoing Indo-Pakistan series, generating a great deal of warmth between the two countries, is no aberration and there is more to follow.

True to the slogan for the games — ‘Rising Above’ — the hosts have not left any stone unturned for the success of the ten-day mega event, being organised at the largest scale ever.

Considering the significance of the event, the Pakistan government has entrusted its organisation responsibility to the army that has already transformed the Games into a major international event with a series of lead-up activities.

The Games are being touted as the ‘mini Olympics’ at a cost of over Pakistan Rs 500 million with funds mainly generated by the organising committee through schemes like the sale of lottery tickets.

Lt Gen. Syed Arif Hasan, the chairman of the organising committee, said that over 3000 security personnel have been deployed for the Games and cameras have been installed at the Jinnah Stadium, the main venue. He said either President Pervez Musharraf or Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali would inaugurate the Games.

The administration has proved its capabilities in the maintenance of the stadium that was in excellent condition despite being in 1989, when the Games were held here for the first time.

With Afghanistan as the eighth country in the fold of the South Asian Sports Federation, over two thousand athletes will be vying for honours in 15 events and about 550 medals will be up for grabs.

Syed Habib Shah, director, training, of the Pakistan Sports Board, said that every individual hopes that discipline, sportsmanship and harmony should precede all other things during the Games.

“Healthy rivalry on the track and field and courts will give way to a sense of pride and fulfilment shared by all in varying degree, whether winners or losers,” he said, adding: “This is precisely the spirit that lends meaning to the motto of SAF Games.”

A record of Pakistan’s performance in the eight previous Games show they have trailed behind leaders India. But the hosts are determined to improve their medals tally.

India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the only countries to have fielded their athletes in all the 15 events followed by Bangladesh in 13.

As for India, only the football team has arrived here.

Teams from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, who have landed here in batches, have been training hard at the Jinnah Stadium and Liaquat Gymnasium.

In the past, because of financial constraints and other reasons, Pakistan have had to limit their contingent but this time there will be no token representation in any sport. They they have entered the largest contingent of 385 athletes followed by India with 378 and Sri Lanka with 327.