Pakistan's tennis star, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi has donated Rs 2.5 million from his own pocket to President's Relief Fund for earthquake victims.
Aisam recently announced to sponsor and raise funds for constructing a rehabilitation centre in Azad Kashmir for the earthquake-stricken. "I think it is a good start to a noble cause and I am delighted to contribute in it and I am confident I will be able to gather more funds", he said here Thursday.
The donation given by Aisam also includes Rs 1.7 million awarded to him by The President on winning three gold medals in Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia early this year plus Rs 3 lac given to him by the Government of Pakistan along with President's Award for Pride of Performance and Rs five lac paid to him by Pakistan Tennis Federation for the two Davis Cup ties played against Chinese Taipei and Thailand. He started his fund raising campaign in Sialkot by visiting and addressing the distinguished office bearers of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Aisam told them that this project envisages to help rehabilitation to the earthquake affected people. The project will be jointly promoted and constructed by his family welfare trust called Haq Foundation. "The planned facility to be built in Muzaffarabad will have state-of-the-art physiotherapy equipment, gymnasium, limbs repair centre and psychotherapy treatment facilities', he said. He pledged to the chamber that each and every penny will be spent most carefully and judiciously on this project.
After the visit Aisam said that he has received overwhelming response from Sialkot chamber who have promised to make a comprehensive scheme to raise funds for this project. He felt very encouraged and said that it looks like he will be able to collect enough funds to make more centres in addition to the Muzaffarabad centre as well.
In continuation of his fund raising campaign a local gathering was made yesterday by a group of ladies in Model Town club and received a contribution of Rs 2 lakh. The members of the club said that Aisam has set an extra ordinary example by donating his entire prize money he earned and other sportsmen should follow him.
On this occasion Aisam's mother, former national champions, Nosheen Ihtsham (Tamgha-i-Imtiaz) said that they were very proud of their son who had set such an excellent example of patriotism and humanity.