Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial inaugurated a pavilion of Punjab International Tennis Stadium in Nishtar Park Sports Complex on the name of tennis legend Khawaja Iftikhar Ahmed on Saturday.
Top dignitaries such as Justice (retd) Khalil ur Rehman Ramday, Vice-Chairman SBP Rao Zahid Qayyum, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi, Director Admin Syed Umair Hassan and Director Sports Nadeem Qaiser, Khawaja Iftikhar’s sons Kh Khurram, Kh Sohail, Sharmeen Khurram, former Davis Cuper, Rasheed Malik also attended the high-level ceremony.
Several other guests such as Azhar Noon, Salim Salamat, Ayub Sabir Izhar, Shraz J Monnoo, Qaiser Gul, Syed Tahir Ikhlaq, Mobeen Ahmed, Deputy Director Tariq Wattoo, Assistant Director Zahoor Ahmed, top sports personalities and a large number of tennis officials and enthusiasts were also present on this occasion.
Vice-Chairman SBP Rao Zahid Qayyum, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta and Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi warmly received Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial upon reaching the State of the Art tennis venue.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial on this occasion awarded shields to Vice-Chairman SBP Rao Zahid Qayyum, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi, Kh Khurram, Kh Sohail, Sharmeen Khurram, Azhar Noon, Salim Salamat, Ayub Sabir Izhar, Shraz J Monnoo, Qaiser Gul, Syed Tahir Ikhlaq, Mobeen Ahmed and other guests.
Kh Khurram, Kh Sohail and Sharmeen Khurram also presented a souvenir to honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial in the largely attended ceremony.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi gave a thorough briefing with the help of maps about NPSC Tennis Stadium and other key sports venues.
Addressing the ceremony, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial said Khawaja Iftikhar was a fair and graceful man, who never compromised on principles throughout his life. “Khawaja Iftikhar was a gracious and kind tennis star like Roger Federer. Pakistan should have many more such tennis players like Khawaja Iftikhar. Naming a stand of Punjab International Tennis Stadium after Khawaja Iftikhar is a befitting tribute to a great tennis legend,” he added.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial further said that the beautiful thing about sports is that it taught us how to be competitive without being unfair. “Sports teaches us sportsmanship and the courage to fight till the last ball in every field”.
Khawaja Iftikhar’s son Kh Khurram on this occasion highlighted the international services of his father. He informed that Khawaja Iftikhar was awarded Pride of Performance and Tamgh-e-Imtiaz in recognition of his meritorious services. “Kh Iftikhar, who is the maternal grandfather of tennis star Aisamul Haq, had the honour to represent India before partition. He also appeared in the top tennis tournament Wimbledon in his illustrious career”.
Khawaja Iftikhar’s other son Kh Sohail in his address lauded Sports Board Punjab and Sports Department Punjab for naming a stand of Punjab International Tennis Stadium after his father’s name.
Later, the leading participants of the ceremony also had group photos with chief guest of the ceremony Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial