Handball team receives Rs 7.5m cash incentive

ISLAMABAD: Handball gold medal winning team at the 13th South Asian Games scooped up Rs 7.5 million (Rs 5 lakh each) for winning gold medal at the expense of Indian team during cash incentive giving ceremony held at the Ministry of IPC Office Islamabad Friday. Pakistan beat India in the final to win the gold medal at the Games.

The award receiving players were Muhammad Uzair Atif (Caption), Asif Ali, Muhammad Shahid Bashir, Asim Saeed, Imran Khan, Muazamal Hussain, Muaaz Ali, Muhammad Zubair, Usman Shoukat, Hazrat Hussain, Umar Hussain, Asif Hayat, Naveed ur Rehman, Mobeen Ashraf and Nasir Hussain. Due to prevailing situation of Covid-19 and safety measures, awards were distributed in three different sessions. Parliamentary Secretary Ministry of IPC Ms. Saima Nadeem and Secretary Ministry of IPC Muhammad Ali Shahzada, Syed Khalid Ali Raza Gardezi Sr Joint Secretary, Javed Iqbal Gill Secretary General Pakistan Handball Federation, Mansoor Ahmad Khan (DDG PSB), M Azam Dar Deputy DG PSB were also present on the occasion.

Parliamentary Secretary appreciated players on their efforts especially which they had shown in beating India in the final match to become champions of South Asian Games. She added that the team not only made Pakistan proud, it stamped their authority in the region.The Secretary General Pakistan Handball Federation Javed Iqbal Gill while speaking on the occasion thanked for retaining the policy of awarding cash incentives to players.

He also highlighted past performance of the team in SA Games and proudly stated that handball team never returned back from Asian Beach Games without a medal. The Secretary General emphasized that like federal government provincial governments may also come forward to support the players enabling them to set high goals and continue achieving laurels for the country through collective efforts.