July 01, 2006	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 4, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, June 30: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday called upon the national athletes to shoot for Olympic level after giving them cash awards for winning medals at international championships.

Cheques were handed over to the medal winners of the Tehran Islamic Women's Games, the Vietnam Asian Boxing Championship and the Bangkok Asian Indoor event.

Shaukat said that he was happy that the majority of the successful athletes were women.

"I am happy to note that women are progressing in every department."

In the ceremony held at the Prime Minister House, the Prime Minister instructed the Federal Minister for Sports Mian Shamim Haider to focus more on women sports.

Among the women athletes getting the most hefty purse was young swimmer Kiran Khan who got an award of Rs1.375 million for landing two gold medals and a silver at the Tehran Games.

The gold-winning boxers were Mehraullah Lasi, Asghar Ali Shah and Shaukat Ali while Nauman Karim was the silver winner.

The Prime Minister urged upon the athletes to strive for excellence while assuring them that facilities and funds will be provided by the government.

He said that although the Olympics and the Asian Games were of prime importance, the players should also be prepared for bilateral exchanges at the SAARC level.

Approximately Rs5.4 million were given away with the gold-winner getting Rs0.4 million and a silver worth Rs0.2 million. The bronze earned the athletes Rs 0.1 million.

The cash prizes to athletes who won bronze were presented by Shamim Haider at a separate ceremony held at the Pakistan Sports Complex earlier in the day.

The medal-winners of 4th Islamic Women's Games Tehran:

Swimming: Kiran Khan (gold), Rubab Raza (gold); team event

Sana Wahid, Rida Sabahat, Kiran Khan, Rubab Raza (silver)

Athletics: Zeenat Parveen (gold), Sumaira Zahoor (silver)

Golf team event: Jamila Jabbar, Tahira Nazir, Mehvish Javed, Faakeha Ahmereen Hamayun (gold); Jamila Jabbar (silver)

Squash: Carla Khan (silver)

30th Asian Boxing Championship Vietnam:

Mehraullah Lasi (gold), Asghar Ali Shah (gold), Shaukat Ali (gold), Nauman Karim (silver).

Asian Indoor Championship Bangkok:

Abdul Rasheed (silver, hurdles).