The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Islamabad 2004 South Asian Games were produced by Richard Curzon.
In early 2001 Richard arrived in Pakistan and commenced the pre-production Ceremonies preparations in conjunction with the Pakistan Army – commissioned to the tasks of operational planning for the Games. The 9th South Asian Games was originally planned to take place in October 2001.
However, following the international terrorism events in New York on 11 September 2001 by Al Qaeda, the subsequent offensive upon Afghanistan in October 2001, the attack on the Parliament of India in New Delhi by Lashkar-e-Taiba on 13 December 2001 and the invasion of Iraq in March of 2003, the South Asian Games was finally staged in April 2004.
A spectator audience of 44,000 attended the Opening Ceremony in the Mhd Ali Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad.
The Games was officially opened by the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies were seen by millions in South Asia and around the World in a live direct telecast.