Aisam appointed UNDP Goodwill Ambassador

UNDP will make the formal announcement in a ceremony in Islamabad today.

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) appointed tennis ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi and singer Hadiqa Kiyani as goodwill ambassadors, on Monday.

UNDP will formally make the announcement in a ceremony in Islamabad today (Monday). Aisam,  however, will not be attending the ceremony as he is in Madrid. His parents will represent him, instead.

Aisam and his mother Nosheen Ahtasham have other credits to their names as well. Both of them have received the pride of performance awards.

The current list of UNDP ambassadors includes the likes of entertainment and sports bigwigs Antonio Banderas, Christiano Ronaldo, Zinédine Zidane, Didier Drogba and Maria Sharapova.

Aisam was runners-up in both the men’s doubles final and mixed doubles final in the US Open in New York last week. He is Pakistan’s most successful tennis player, as the ‘Indo-Pak Express’ of Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna secured the number 6th spot in ATP World Rankings.

Aisam’s speech at the end of the mixed doubles final was a proud moment for Pakistanis as he delivered a heartfelt message about Pakistan’s image.

“My parents are watching in Pakistan and I love you all,” Qureshi said.

“I want to say something on behalf of all Pakistanis. It is the wrong perception that Pakistan is being a terrorist country. We are a loving, caring people and we want peace as much as you guys want it. May God love us all.”