Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz during her visit to Mian Channu on Tuesday handed over Rs100 million cheque and a car, fitted with a vanity number plate 92.97, to Olympic hero Arshad Nadeem, who won gold medal at Paris Games, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
CM Maryam Nawaz specially travelled to Mian Channu to honour Arshad Nadeem, who set a new world record by throwing javelin at 92.97 metres.
During her visit to Arshad Nadeem's house, Maryam congratulated him for his remarkable achievement and expressed her admiration for his dedication and hard work, attributing his success to the support and prayers of his parents.
Arshad Nadeem's father Muhammad Ashraf said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz gifted his son a cheque for Rs100 million as well as a Honda Civic car having a vanity number plate.She also made several commitments to support the local community, including paving the roads in the village, constructing a hospital, and establishing a university in Mian Channu.
"Arshad Nadeem has made the entire nation proud with his remarkable achievement. His victory is a testament to the talent and potential of our youth," Maryam Nawaz said during her address to the community. "We are committed to providing all the necessary support to nurture and develop our sports talent."
Moreover, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also presented a cheque of Rs5 million to Arshad Nadeem’s coach Salman Iqbal Butt.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari later tweeted that the chief minister had gifted Arshad Nadeem a car as well as a cash prize, adding the registration number of the car was the same as the record Arshad created in the Olympics: PAK 92.97.
The chief minister was accompanied by Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Sports Minister Faisal Khokhar, the Punjab chief secretary and MPA Sania Ashiq during the visit.
The chief minister reached Arshad’s village by helicopter to personally congratulate and reward him for his outstanding achievement.
Earlier, the excise secretary had on Monday sent a summary to the government for the issuance of the vanity number-plate for the car to be gifted to Arshad Nadeem.
The Excise Department officials said that in routine a three-digit number plate was fitted to a car. They said that senior officials would decide whether the registration fee would be honorary or would be paid by the government.
Reporters: Ali Sahi and Zohaib Bukhari