Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, a former cricket hero, has invited the country’s youngest athlete Ayesha Ayaz to the PM House in Islamabad to appreciate her performance at the global Taekwondo Championship in the UAE.
Following an exclusive interview on Ayesha’s achievement published in Gulf News on February 11, Special Assistant to PM on Media Affairs Iftikhar Durrani said in a tweet: “Prime Minister Office has invited her, she’ll meet Prime Minister Imran Khan soon InshaAllah (if God wills).”
Ayesha Ayaz became Pakistan’s youngest taekwondo player to win at an international event in first week of February after which she received messages of love and appreciation on social media from all over the world. She dedicated her win to PM Imran Khan – an inspiration for many athletes. “Meeting Prime Minister Imran Khan will be a dream come true for me” Ayesha, the eight-year-old Taekwondo player, told Gulf News. “I am all set to meet him and show him my medal.”
Her father, Mohammad Ayaz, a martial artist and instructor at Swat Taekwondo Academy, is as excited to meet the premier as his daughter. “This kind gesture by prime minister will not only motivate Ayesha but inspire young girls from all over Pakistan to take up sports,” he said, adding that the appreciation from PM came in part after the article was published in Gulf News.
Ayesha hails from the stunning Swat Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkwa, where she grew up practising with her young brothers Zaryab Khan, 7, and Zeeyab Khan, 5. She started practising martial arts at the tender age of three, winning many medals along the way.
Her international win is a proud moment for Pakistan but more so for the residents of her hometown. “It’s an honour to see this little girl perform remarkably at global level”, said Haider Ali, a resident of Swat. “The fact that my sons, Taseer Haider, 9, and Hashir Haider, 6, also go to the same sports academy where Ayesha trains makes it a real proud moment for us.” He added that physical activity is significant as kids nowadays are getting too much screen time, which is affecting their development.
Sports activities at grassroots level, such as school and local clubs, can offer plentiful opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds, says President of Pakistan Taekwondo Federation, Lt Col (R) Wasim Ahmad.
“Ayesha symbolises numerous young talented athletes from distant areas of Pakistan who have the potential to shine at global level with proper training and opportunities” Ahmad said while talking to Gulf News. He urged the government and Sports Minister to take professional sportspeople on board for a productive sports promotion strategy. “Pakistan must start preparing for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as only few months are left in qualification rounds” he stressed, adding that government may approach multinational companies for sponsorship of promising players.