Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti, on Tuesday, has announced cash prize of Rs one million each for Pakistan’s Olympic javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and weightlifter Talha Talib for attaining 5th place in their respective events at Tokyo Olympic Games.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti also announced Rs half million cash prize for Arshad Nadeem’s coach Syed Fiaz Hussain Bokhari for his key role in Arshad’s improved performance. “Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar will award the cash prizes to these sports stars at a colourful ceremony in near future,” he informed.
Addressing a press conference at National Hockey Stadium, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti also announced to bear traveling expenses of Pakistan’s two special athletes Haider Ali and Aneela for participation in upcoming Paralympic Games scheduled to be staged in Tokyo later this month. “We are also making sufficient arrangements for top level training and coaching of these two athletes. It is expected that both the athletes will show good performance in the Tokyo Paralympic Games,” he anticipated.
Answering a question regarding performance of javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and weightlifter Talha Talib in Olympic Games, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said though both the players could not live up to the expectations of the nation but both tried their best and earn good name for the country by finishing 5th in their respective events at such a grand sports extravaganza. “We are quite determined that they will improve their performances further in the next international events”.
Replying a question, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is going to give special emphasis to country’s sports so that the existing loopholes in Pakistan’s sports system could be removed and Pakistan athletes could register medal-winning performances in major events like Olympic and World Cup. “We are also going to share big news in regard to the welfare of the sports community in the coming days”.