LAHORE: Pakistan tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi will donate five tennis wheelchairs to Iraq through his foundation, ‘Stop war, Start Tennis.’

A press release issued here on Tuesday said: “Through the foundation, ‘Stop War, Start Tennis’, Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi is donating five tennis wheelchairs to Iraq. Donations have already been made this year to Sri Lanka and Cambodia, with Pakistan and Syria due to receive wheelchairs too.”

“We live in a world where bad things happen to good people,” said Aisam, whose work with ‘Stop War, Start Tennis’ was recognised by Speaker of the UK House of Commons, John Bercow, earlier this year.

“The people of Iraq have been going through a very difficult period of turmoil and tragedy for a long time now. It is my desire that tennis wheelchair can give hope to those who have been disabled,” he said.

Aisam also expressed his gratitude to Jeff Launius, owner of the Texas Wild of the Mylan World Team Tennis League, who made a generous donation to the work of ‘Stop War, Start Tennis’.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2014