PSB recommends cash awards for Davis Cup winners

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has recommended cash awards, 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 confirmed to The News on Friday that Board has decided to go with the Pakistan Tennis Federation (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 and support 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. Ironically IPC and PM secretariat officials were totally ignorant on the fact that two have already been awarded Pride of Performance or even higher civil awards. While Aqeel Khan had recently been awarded Pride of Performance (2016), international Aisamul Haq first received Pride of Performance in 2004 and then Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2010-11.

On the recommendation of Salim Saifulllah Khan, president Pakistan Tennis Federation, PSB previously had recommended cash incentives to all team members including players and coaches. Rs two million each were recommended 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 important Davis Cup tie in February.