ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Asian junior squash champion Syed Ali Mujtaba Bokhari was finally given recognition for his matchless services, as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif invited him along with former world snooker champ M Asif here at Prime Minister House on April 14.
Talking to The Nation Thursday, Ali said: “I was disappointed with the treatment given to me after winning Asian junior squash title as I hoped the achievement would be highlighted and I would be invited by either Punjab Chief Minister or Prime Minister, but to my utter disappointment, none of the top officials at that time bothered to say a few words of appreciation, so inviting for meeting was a far cry.”
“But now after invitation call, I am very glad and grateful to Prime Minister, who took time off from his busy schedule and invited me for a meeting. My dream comes true after long and hard wait as I belong to a lower middle class family. But despite all odds, I made my dream come true by winning the Asian junior title and I hoped I would request Punjab CM to allocate a house for me and my family,” he added.
He elaborated: “I deserve better treatment. No reward for my achievement disappointed me a lot and also badly affected my game and my form started declining therefore I lost a great number of events due to less focus on my game,” he added.
“Now the Prime Minister’s invitation put a new life and energy in me and I have started watching dreams once again. My only and utmost wish is a house and it will be very nice if Prime Minister allocates a house for my family, it is my promise I will leave no stone unturned and give my best to earn laurels for the country. I am very confident I will be able to defend my title during the Asian Junior Championship to be held in Kish, Iran in June,” Ali asserted.  “I will not only focus on that title defense, but also try my best to win the World Junior Individual and Team titles, a feat which no one managed to achieve in last 28 years for the country as it was last won by great Jansher Khan in 1986.”