ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Inter- provincial Coordination (IPC) Dr. Fehmida Mirza on Monday distributed cheques among the members of Pakistan volleyball teams, including beach volleyball outfit, who won silver and bronze medals, respectively in the 13th South Asian Games held in Nepal in December 2019.

In these games, the Pakistan contingent won a total of 133 medals including 32 gold, 41 silver and 60 bronze medals.

Dr. Fehmida, while appreciating the untiring efforts of sportspersons who brought laurels for the country, said it is vital to support them financially at this crucial time when the sports activities have been suspended worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The federal minister distributed cheques among the 18 players of Pakistan volleyball teams in two sessions to ensure their safety and observing the SOPs set by the gove­rnment. The minister stated that the Federal Government is fully aware of the problems of sportspersons and playing its due role for promotion of sports in the country.

She urged the provinces to come forward for uplifting standards of the games in the country and promote sports from grassroot level by adopting best practices of the world as the provinces are primarily responsible for the sports as well under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

Total amount distributed among the volleyball players was Rs4.5 million. Pakistan volleyball team members who received the cheq­ues included Aimal Khan (captain), Mubas­shir Raza, Nasir Ali, Naveed M. Kashif, Abdul Zaheer, Hamid Yazman, Haider Farooq, Mur­ad Jehan, Fahad Raza, Abdullah, Mohammad Idrees, Usman Faryad Ali, Mohammad Usman, Hassan Mazhar Hussain, Mohammad Waseem (beach volleyball captain), Afaq Khan, Zarnab Khan and Mohammad Razzaq.

The IPC minister lauded the performance of Pakistan volleyball team. While talking to the players she praised the Pakistan Sports Board for organising national training camps and for acquiring the services of foreign coaches for volleyball.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2020