PSB recommends cash reward for Aqeel, Aisam

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) recommended cash reward instead of decorating Davis Cup winning team with civil awards in response to recent recommendations received from the Prime Minister Secretariat.

A well-placed source in the PSB told ‘The News’ Friday that the board has decided to go with the Pakistan Tennis Federation’s (PTF) recommendations that say that all team members who have brought laurels for the country should be given cash incentives.

“We have decided to back PTF recommendations which plead for cash incentives rather than decorating leading players with civil awards,” the source said.The PM Secretariat had recommended civil awards for two leading players Aqeel Khan and Aisamul Haq. The recommendations that reached through Ministry of IPC recommended Pride of Performance for both the players.

The IPC Ministry and PM secretariat officials were totally ignorant on the fact that the two players have already been awarded Pride of Performance or even higher civil awards. While Aqeel had recently been awarded Pride of Performance (2016), Aisam first received Pride of Performance in 2004 and then Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2010-11.

On the recommendations of PTF President Salim Saifullah Khan, PSB previously had announced cash incentives to all team members including players and coaches. Rs two million each were announced for Aisam and Aqeel while Rs half a million cash award was requested for two back-up players, non-playing captain and coaches.

PSB, however, was quick to respond as the board has yet again recommended cash reward for the entire team that helped Pakistan beat Korea in an important Davis Cup tie in February.“On the response from the PM Secretariat, we yet again recommended that cash incentives should be given to entire team rather than civil awards.”