Mohali, August 10: Thousands of athletes, senior citizens, women, and local youth gathered near Gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib in Mohali for the 5.5-kilometre ‘Punjab Youth Run 2026’, organized by the AAP Punjab Youth Wing to support the ongoing ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign against substance abuse.
The early morning event awarded cash prizes up to ₹11,000 to top runners, alongside medals and T-shirts for participants. Organizers declared that the campaign will expand to major urban centers across the state in coming phases.
Similar marathon events will be hosted across other parts of Punjab, including Amritsar, Patiala, Bathinda, and Ludhiana, to carry the message of sports, physical fitness, and drug-free living to every corner of the state, AAP Punjab Youth Wing President and MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura declared. The overwhelming public response demonstrated that citizens desire a healthy, vibrant, and drug-free Punjab, the lawmaker asserted, adding that the effort serves as a community initiative for the state rather than a simple political function.
State leaders linked the athletic gathering directly to broader governance commitments regarding sports infrastructure and youth engagement.
Connecting young people with playgrounds and promoting physical fitness represents one of the most vital steps in countering drug reliance, AAP MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer affirmed. The state sports budget expanded from approximately ₹150 crore to nearly ₹1,800 crore under the current administration, reflecting a direct commitment to providing youth with greater athletic opportunities, the parliamentarian stated. Fitness activities should not remain a single-day effort but become part of daily routines to build a stronger state, he added.
Supporting the anti-drug messaging, AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang declared that physical activity must become an essential habit for all citizens, asserting that community initiatives encouraging sports remain crucial for building a resilient society.
