ISLAMABAD, May 3: For their outstanding show at the recent Islamic Games in Saudi Arabia, the Pakistan tennis team was honoured by President Gen Pervez Musharraf in Rawalpindi on Tuesday. The team members were awarded cash awards with ace Aisamul Haq, who won three gold medals, getting Rs1.7 million followed by Aqeel Khan who got Rs0.9 million for his bronze effort.

Coach Rasheed Malik was awarded Rs0.5m with the other members of the squad Nomi Qamar, Asim Shafik and Wasif Cheema all receiving Rs0.2m each. The president appreciated the players’ efforts at the Games and also gave them a pat on their back for putting Pakistan into the qualifying round of the Davis Cup World Group.

Pakistan, led by the heroics of Aisam and Aqeel, finished 11th on the medals table at the Games and had it not been for the duo’s exploits, they would have finished 52 out of 54 nations. Aisam and Aqeel also starred in Pakistan’s 4-1 Davis Cup victory against Taiwan last week at Lahore, efforts that put the country alongside 20 elite tennis-playing nations.

Syed Dilawar Abbas, the head of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) suggested to the president that major sports like hockey, squash and tennis be patronised generously by the government. During the course of the event, Aisam was awarded the President’s Medal for Pride of Performance. The award had been announced earlier but the player was not in the country to receive it then.

Present on the occasion were the Federal Minister for Sports Ajmal Khan, State Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani, the heads of the national Olympic Committee and the sports board and other officials.

Our Sports Correspondent adds from Lahore: The Model Town Club, Lahore tennis courts has been titled “Aisamul-Haq Courts” in a ceremony held at the club. State sports minister Mohammad Ali Durrani made the announcement in the ceremony.

Aisam was honoured for his success recently in taking Pakistan into the World Group 0playoff by beating Taiwan 4-1 in Lahore last week. Pakistan entered the World Group round for the first time.