Pakistan to honour Rohan Bopanna’s friendly spirit

After Karnataka sports minister Goolihatti Shekhar came up with his proposal to honour US Open finalists Rohan Bopanna and his court partner from Pakistan, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, with Rs five lakh each, Pakistan has taken the cue.

In Lahore,  Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer said he had recommended that Pakistan’s highest civilian award should be presented to Boppana and Qureshi.

Addressing a reception he hosted in honour of Qureshi at Governor House in Lahore, Taseer said: “I have recommended that the highest civilian award should be given to Aisam and Bopanna. Prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and president Asif Ali Zardari have consented to my proposal and both players will soon be rewarded for their feat.”

Through the performance of Qureshi, Pakistan wanted to tell the world that it is a peace-loving nation, Taseer said.

He awarded a gold medal and Rs500,000 to Qureshi.
Bopanna-Qureshi’s feats have made the neighbours proud and lessened the miseries of people who are struggling with Pakistan’s worst-ever floods, he said.

Qureshi’s hard work had paid off and also conveyed a message to other youngsters to follow in his path, he added.

During a separate meeting with Qureshi, Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif said that the tennis star was a national hero and the whole nation was proud of him.