PM to honor former World Champ Qamar Zaman

       
PESHAWAR, Oct. 28 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani will honor former World Squash Champion Qamar Zaman for his meritorious services he is rendering in the field of squash.A ceremony in this connection will be held on November 2 at Prime Minister’s Secretariat Auditorium, Islamabad where sportsmen who offered praiseworthy services in the various sports will be honored in form of cash prizes, medals and commendation certificates.
Qamar Zaman, when contacted by phone, thanked the Prime Minister for honoring his services for the game. He also thanked Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, President Pakistan Squash Federation for recommending his name for the honor. He said PAF being the backbone of squash is prerequisite for this game in Pakistan and running its affairs.
Once a worldwide leading player in squash, Qamar also won the British Open in  975 when he defeated Geoff Hunt of Australia in a battle which lasted for 2 hour  and 17 minutes.
Recalling his win at British Open he said, when I defeated Geoff Hunt, the then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Shaheed congratulated me by phone from America. “I was full of joy and proud when Pakistani flag was hoisted in Wimble Center London”.
Qamar being Pakistan Junior Squash Champion1968 also won Australian Amateur  hampionship.He reached the finals of British Open for four times in 1978, 1979 and 1980, and against Jahangir Khan in 1984. He was also four-time runner-up at the World Open, losing to Hunt in the finals of 1976, 1979 and 1980, and to Jahangir in 1984.
He also won 100 International matches and remained World Champion in 1975,1978 and 1980. He defeated Geoff in the World Open in 1995 by ending Pakistan’s 11-year long victory less spell in the game. He was World No. 2 for 11 times,which is still a record and remained 1matchless 19-year-old Pakistani in the game  by winning 8 gold medals and President Pride of Performance in 1975. Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto awarded him with gold medal and best Sportsmen of the Year Award in 1977.
Qamar who also won National Championships of Australia, Canada, England,Sweden, Germany, Holland, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Bangkok, and Pakistan as also awarded by these countries as Ambassador of Squash. The British government honored him as “Master of Strokes”. He is now the Senior Vice President of Asian Squash Federation.
The former champion said he was not happy with the lackluster approach of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa towards the sport of Squash. He said he was operated upon for his right-leg injury and remained in hospital for three-weeks but no one approached him to enquire after his health.
Spending most time in the squash courts, Qamar said: “My services will always be there for promotion of the squash and train children who want to play this game”.