LAHORE-Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial inaugurated a pavilion of Punjab International Tennis Stadium in Nishtar Park Sports Complex named after tennis legend Late Khawaja Iftikhar Ahmed on Saturday.
Top dignitaries such as Justice (R) Khalil ur Rehman Ramday, Azhar Noon, SBP Vice Chairman Rao Zahid Qayyum, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta, DG SBP M Tariq Qureshi, Kh Iftikhar’s sons Kh Pervaiz, Kh Khurram, Kh Suhail (Senior Vice President of Pakistan Tennis Federation), Kh Tayyab, Sharmeen Khurram, Nosheen Ehtesham, former Davis Cuper Rashid Malik, entire family of Kh Iftikhar and others also attended the grand ceremony.
Several other guests present on the occasion were Salim Salamat, Ayub Sabir Izhar, Sheraz J Monnoo, Ex Federal Zia ur Rehman, Ex Chief Secretary Punjab Nasir Khosa, Sibtain Fazl-e-Haleem, Chiarman Lahore Gymkhana Misbah ur Rehman, Qaiser Gul, Syed Tahir Ikhlaq, Mobeen Ahmed, Syed Umair Hassan, Nadeem Qaiser, Tariq Wattoo, Zahoor Ahmed, top sports personalities and a large number of tennis officials and enthusiasts.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial was warmly welcomed by Kh Iftikhar’s sons Kh Pervaiz, Kh Khurram, Kh Suhail and Kh Tayyab along with SBP Vice Chairman Rao Zahid Qayyum, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta and DG SBP Muhammad Tariq Qureshi upon reaching the State-of-the-Art tennis venue. The chief guest was presented a bouquet by Kh Iftikhar’s family.
The CJP also awarded shields to Rao Zahid, Ehsan Bhutta, Tariq Qureshi, Late Khawaja Iftikhar’s sons, Sharmeen Khurram, Azhar Noon, Salim Salamat, Ayub Sabir Izhar, Sheraz J Monnoo, Qaiser Gul, Syed Tahir Ikhlaq, Mobeen Ahmed and other guests.
Kh Khurram, Kh Suhail and Sharmeen Khurram also presented a souvenir to honourable CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial during the largely-attended ceremony. Secretary Sports Ehsan Bhutta and DG SBP Tariq Qureshi gave a thorough briefing to the chief guest with the help of maps about NPSC Tennis Stadium and other key sports venues.
Addressing the ceremony, CJP 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 him. Naming a pavilion of Punjab International Tennis Stadium after Late Kh Iftikhar is a befitting tribute to a tennis legend,” he added.
Late Kh Iftikhar’s sons, Kh Suhail and Kh Khurram, also highlighted the professional career of their father, who was No 1 tennis player of both India and Pakistan from 1939 to 1947 and after that he remained tennis champion of Pakistan till 1956. He played at Wimbledon in 1939 and 1947 reaching the first and third round respectively.
Kh Iftikhar’s legacy still continues as after him, his sons Kh Khurram and Kh Tayyab and daughter Nosheen Ehtesham played professional tennis then his grandchildren Aisam Qureshi and Ushna Suhail both created history as the first and only male and female world ranked tennis players of Pakistan. Other grandchildren Samir Iftikhar and Faizan Khurram represented Pakistan in senior and junior Davis Cup events respectively.