Two new tennis courts to be built in Peshawar

KARACHI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tennis Association (KPTA) is looking for suitable quotations to build two new courts at Qayyum Stadium, Peshawar, with the help of provincial sports department.
“There are two courts at the stadium but their condition has deteriorated to such an extent that they have become unplayable,” KPTA secretary Umer Ayaz told ‘The News’. “So we requested the provincial sports minister to build two new courts there and he has approved this project.
“We are looking for suitable quotations from companies to submit to the department so that work could begin soon.
“There are a few quotations but they are not being considered. We are hoping for better quotations coming our way so that we can start work on courts in the next 15-20 days,” added Umer.
Tennis players from KP dominate national rankings, but tennis infrastructure in the province is in a very poor condition, which is evident from the poor condition of the courts at Qayyum Stadium and Pakistan Tennis Club in Peshawar.
In 2011, Pakistan’s top tennis star Aisamul Haq Qureshi expressed his concerns over the shabby condition of Pakistan Tennis Club Peshawar, which was founded by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Aisam offered his full support to KP tennis authorities to make this club fully operational.
But nothing has happened even after four years. “We many times contacted KP government for this project but they did not pay any heed. PTF authorities also did not show any interest,” said Aisam’s father Ehtesham-ul-Haq.
He added that they were hoping that new president of PTF would take necessary action in this regard.