KINGSTON UPON HULL – Jahangir Khan vows to inject new life in the sagging sport field squash, a new plan has been chalked out by Jahangir Khan, who is known as the greatest squash player of all the time.
Pakistan, once called squash’s most successful nation possess no British Open winner since 1997. Even it has no world’s top ten players since 1997. Currently Pakistan holds no player who can qualify for the British Open main draw.
He maintained that much more efforts to be done to change the situation, he voiced these views while talking to the media on the Sunday’s finals day at the British Open, and this is the tournament in which he have won a record 10 times in Hull, Northern England.
The ten times Squash champion explains his plan and says that we have a plan which is likely to initiate recovery. “It involves funding and good organization,” he added.
Jahangir’s plan to contain and prevent the demise of Pakistani squash includes the formation of junior academy which will be facilitated by his own squash center, Roshan Khan/ Jahangir Khan.
This center is located in Karachi and is involved in recruitment, coaching and developing talent. It facilitates travel to overseas tournaments by providing resources.
The academy is aimed at providing accommodation, food, equipment, and funds to make the trainees able to participate in national and international events in which the most prominent event is Penang, Malaysia.
Moreover, squash will be helpful in making the lives of boys belonging to less privileged class which is accredited to the sponsorship of Kazim Anwar, a businessman who also runs a trust.
We have a golden past to inspire our new generation. During the 20th century Pakistan held seven British Open champions.
These were the years in which squash was termed as the world’s top tournament. During these years, these seven players upheld the title for their country for 30 out of 78 years.
Jahangir Khan expressed confidence in youth and stressed that we do have talent to make squash champions.
The only question is of resources and organization to make better use of it. He is planning to do this through the project CHIPS i.e. Champion Hunt Initiative Program.
This project will categorize the boys into five age groups and would provide full time coaches as well.
Jahangir will also be a part of coaching; other important figures facilitating the project are Saeed Khan, the director of the project and Rashid Ahmed, the coordinator.
The previous efforts made to revive squash in Pakistan were handicapped first, by the growth of funding in other countries and then due to the country’s narrow playing base which made it difficult to grow in an increasingly competitive arena.
Moreover, due to political instability, Pakistan was unable to hold a major event for many years.
Jahangir proclaimed with all his efforts that he does not at all intend to compete with Pakistan Squash Federation, the governing body of sport in Pakistan.
He said that our purpose is to help only and we know what we have to do. The only thing which needs to be done is organization.
He gave the example of Egypt and said that Pakistan and Egypt are same. It is pertinent here that in 15 years Egypt has transformed itself gradually and is now so far the most successful nation in squash.
The modern leading players of the nation are Amr Shabana and Ramy Ashour.
He said that he was in Egypt a few weeks back and there he observed that they people have organization. Moreover, squash and its players are popular among the general public.
The Squash legend exclaimed that what we really need to develop is professional attitude. The rest is present within us.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription
