LAHORE  -  Bilal Yasin, Punjab’s Minister for Housing, Urban Development, and Public Health Engineering, commended Rashid Malik’s lifelong dedication to tennis in Pakistan, emphasizing his role in developing future champions for the country. The Minister said this during the closing ceremony of the Sheheryar Malik Memorial Pakistan Open Tennis Championship 2024. An avid supporter of tennis himself, Bilal Yasin expressed admiration for Rashid Malik’s contributions, acknowledging Malik’s legacy of producing skilled players who have been representing Pakistan internationally. “Mr. Rashid Malik has tirelessly served tennis for decades, bringing up numerous players to compete at the international level. I am confident he will continue his mission and, hopefully, produce Grand Slam players for Pakistan.” The Minister also paid tribute to the late Sheheryar Malik, son of Rashid Malik, and applauded Mr. Malik for organizing the championship on a grand scale. “Players from across Pakistan showcased their skills at this premier tennis event. I extend my congratulations to the winners and wish the best to the runners-up and all participants for future tournaments.” The Minister also applauded the vision of CM Punjab, saying, “Following the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz, we aim to promote young talent by populating sports fields across the province and equipping them with modern facilities and qualified coaching. This support will help nurture Punjab’s talent, preparing them to earn international recognition for Pakistan.” Highlighting Punjab’s commitment to sports under CM’s directives, Minister Bilal Yasin noted the recent success of the Pink Games 2024 - the first of its kind in the province. He also detailed upcoming events, including the Lahore Youth Festival and the ambitious Khelta Punjab Games 2024, which will span inter-tehsil, inter-district, and inter-division competitions to identify and develop top talent in the province.