ISLAMABAD:Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has approved the nomination of Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Journalist and Pakistan’s first Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker as principal nominee from Pakistan, for appointment of one of them as SAARC goodwill ambassador for HIV and AIDS.

Tennis player Aisam Ul Haq has been named as an alternate nominee. The names of the Pakistani nominees would be conveyed to SAARC Secretariat. The SAARC Council of Ministers confers this honorary title upon leading well-known figures in the region.

The approval was granted by the prime minister on a summary moved by Ministry of Foreign Affars.

The SAARC Secretariat had invited one or two nominations from each member state for appointment as SAARC Goodwill Ambassador for HIV and AIDS.

The practice of honorary appointment of SAARC Goodwill Ambassador for HIV and AIDS has been in place since 2008 as part of the work plan for the SAARC regional strategy on HIV/AIDS.

Shabana Azmi, an Indian actress and social activist, and Sanath Teran Jayasuriya, Sri Lankan cricketer, have served as SAARC goodwill Ambassadors for HIV and AIDS for the period 2008-2010.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, is a Journalist and Documentarian and the winner of Oscar Award and SAARC Film Festival 2012 for her documentary “Saving Face”.

Chinoy was mired in controversy when one of the victims whose narrative was recorded in her documentary “Saving Face,” accused Chinoy of not fulfilling her commitment of providing financial compensation.

Aisam Ul Haq, Pakistan's top tennis player is National Goodwill Ambassador of United Nations Development Programme and Youth Ambassador of Pakistan Red Crescent Society.