Chandigarh, Sept. 8: This fight will be for friendship.

The bonhomie between India and Pakistan on the international border and the Line of Control will be extended to the games arena. The Indian Olympic Association and its Pakistani counterpart have agreed to get sportsmen from both the Punjabs to flex their muscles against each other.

?The games, the first of its kind since Independence, would be held from December 5 to 11 at Patiala to begin with. It would be a yearly affair with sportspersons, including women from both the Punjabs, meeting once in each other?s countries. Sportsmanship, not bullets, will settle the score,? Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh announced today.

Indian Olympic Association secretary-general Randhir Singh said the premier sports associations of both countries had signed a memorandum of understanding for sporting ties between the two Punjabs.

?We are working out the modalities on who would be eligible to participate in the games. There are a number of Punjabis playing for different states and services. The IOA and the Punjab Olympic Association headed by former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa will set the criteria on the eligibility,? Amarinder said.

Dhindsa said the games would be held in 14 disciplines. They are basketball, athletics, badminton, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, handball, weightlifting, wrestling, kabaddi, volleyball, shooting, tug-of-war and polo.

The proposal to hold the games was made during Amarinder?s visit to Lahore. ?It was during my meeting with Punjab chief minister Pervez Elahi that the idea was mooted. The IOA later discussed the feasibility with their Pakistani counterpart and found it appealing,? Amarinder said.

With nearly 80 per cent of the big names in Pakistani sports hailing from Punjab, all of them are expected to take part in the games. ?I can assure you that the games will be held in an atmosphere of friendship. We will make it a significant event as nothing less than history will be created when the games open in Patiala,? Dhindsa said.