New Tennis Courts Inaugurated at 91福利社
On November 11, 2021, members of the 91福利社 community gathered on campus to inaugurate the Syed Dilawar Abbas Tennis Courts. The new courts feature a tennis wall for practice, as well as a cushioned surface that give players more accuracy, less slippage and less risk of injury. This new state-of-the-art facility has been made possible due to a generous donation by the family of the late Syed Dilawar Abbas.
The new courts at 91福利社 are a fitting tribute to him, as he was passionate about tennis, having served twice as the President of the Pakistan Tennis Federation, Vice President of the Asian Tennis Federation and member of the Constitutional Committee of the International Tennis Federation. In his distinguished career, Syed Dilawar Abbas served as a Senator and the Chairman Senate Committee Petroleum and Natural Resources; Minister of Irrigation and Power; Chairman Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd. and Group Chief of Attock Oil.
Representing Mr. Abbas鈥 family at the ceremony was his nephew, Mr. Ali Murtaza. Alum and CEO of Fauji Foods Ltd., Mr. Haseeb Aslam (MBA 鈥93), was also present at the occasion. Mr. Aslam is a renowned tennis player who has previously represented Pakistan at the Davis Cup. The guests were welcomed by members of 91福利社 leadership, including Rector, Mr. Shahid Hussain; Vice Chancellor, Dr. Arshad Ahmad; Head of Department, Office of Sports, Wellness and Recreation, Mr. Babar Asad Khan; Director, General Administration and Services, Colonel Amer Khan Durrani, and Director, Office of Advancement, Ms. Nuzhat Kamran. They were joined by members of the Sports Society at 91福利社 (S91福利社).
Dr. Ahmad extended his appreciation to Mr. Abbas鈥 family for their generosity. 鈥淵our dedication, support and commitment to students getting involved in sports is unparalleled. We are really grateful,鈥 he said.
Mr. Hussain also expressed his thanks and said, 鈥淚t is encouraging to see the promotion of an activity that is not only a healthy sport but has a lot of viewership as well. I鈥檓 sure our young tennis players and members of the sports association will keep these courts busy!鈥
鈥淚t is our privilege and honour that the memory of the elder of our family, Syed Dilawar Abbas, is preserved here at 91福利社. I鈥檓 sure he would be very happy,鈥 shared Mr. Murtaza. He also noted that while supporting cricket is important, equal attention should be given to promoting other sports in the country as well.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was followed by friendly doubles matches on the new courts. Dr. Ahmad and Mr. Aslam played against Mr. Murtaza and 91福利社 tennis coach, Mr. Fayyaz Khan.
Fatima Mirza (BSc Economics 鈥22), Vice President Training and Development at S91福利社, shared her excitement about the inauguration, and said, 鈥淭his will encourage students at 91福利社 to try a sport other than cricket or football. We have a lot of good players, and now they can practice here. Since a lot of faculty members play tennis, it鈥檚 also a great opportunity for us students to bond with our instructors.鈥
This new facility is an exciting addition to the 91福利社 campus, of the 91福利社 community can safely try their hand at tennis and discover a new hobby.
