Three Years have Passed Since Khawar Shah Left us

Three years have passed since former President Pakistan Federation Baseball Syed Khawar Shah, who was holding the post of Director General in the Sports Board Punjab has left us. Syed Khawar Shah loved sports and in all his life he worked for the development of sports in Pakistan. During his tenure as a sports officer, he successfully organized several national and international competitions. He also successfully hosted Cricket World Cup matches.

Syed Khawar Shah was born on 07-12-1949 in District Jhang of Punjab province. Syed Khawar Shah has been very interested in sports since childhood.

He was one of the best players in football and athletics. Besides, he was also very interested in kabaddi and desi kushti. Khawar Shah got his early education from Jhang. He was also President of the Government Degree College Jhang Student Union. He completed his Master’s Degree in History in 1976 from Punjab University Lahore.

Syed Khawar Shah started his professional career in 1978 as a Tehsil Sports Officer in Sports Board Punjab. He was then elected to the Divisional Sports Officer in 1983. In 1997 he was promoted to Deputy Director Sports. He was appointed as Director Sports Punjab by the Government of Punjab in 2002. In 2003, he was made Director General of Sports Board Punjab and held this post from 10-10-2004. In 2007 he was made the Managing Director of Sports Board Punjab and retired in December 2009. Syed Khawar Shah served for over 30 years in the Directorate General Sports Punjab.
Syed Khawar Shah successfully organized International Cricket Competitions during his employment in Sports Board Punjab:

1. One Day Match PAK vs WIND 1985 Gujranwala
2. One Day Match PAK vs WIND 1986 Gujranwala
3. One Day Match WIND vs ENG 1987 Gujranwala Worldcup
4. One Day Match PAK vs IND 1989 Gujranwala
5. One Day Match PAK vs SLK 1991 Gujranwala
6. Test Match PAK vs SLK 1991 Gujranwala
7. One Day Match PAK vs ZMB 1993 Rawalpindi
8. Test Match PAK vs ZMB 1993 Rawalpindi
9. One Day Match PAK vs AUS 1994 Rawalpindi
10. One Day Match PAK vs SAF 1994 Rawalpindi
11. One Day Match PAK vs SLK 1995 Rawalpindi
12. One Day Match PAK vs UAE 1996 Rawalpindi Worldcup
13. One Day Match ENG vs SAF 1996 Rawalpindi Worldcup
14. One Day Match HOL vs SAF 1996 Rawalpindi Worldcup
15. Test Match PAK vs NZL 1996 Rawalpindi
    He also organized different international sports events:
16. Football Match PAK vs IND 2005 Lahore
17. 7th Asia Baseball Cup 2006 Rawalpindi
18. Inetrnational Bodybuilding Championship 1989 Gujranwala
19. Hockey Match HOL vs Punjab U14 Gujranwala
20. Hockey Match PAK vs BNG Gujranwala
21. Quadi-e-Azam International Wrestling Championship 1986 Gujranwala
22. Ch. Zahoor Elahi Int. Memorial Kabaddi Tournament 1991 Mandi Bahauddin
    Syed Khawar Shah successfully conducted Ind-o-Pak Dangal Desi Kushti contests between wrestlers of Pakistan and India in 2008 and 2011 in different cities of Punjab including Bahawalpur, Multan, Gujranwala and Lahore.
    He also successfully organized national level competitions of various sports including Baseball, Archery, Hockey, Badminton, Volleyball, Basketball, Wrestling, Gymnastics, Kabaddi and Softball.
    Syed Khawar Shah also served in various social and sports associations throughout his life:
23. President Student Union Govt. Degree College Jhang 1972
24. Secretary General Pakistan Federatoin Baseball 1992-2015
25. President Pakistan Federatoin Baseball 2015-2017
26. Field Director Pony Baseball of Asia 1993-2012
27. Member Development Committee Baseball Federation of Asia 2006
28. Member at Large Baseball Federation of Asia 2005-2012
29. Executive Diretor West Asia Baseball Federation of Asia 2012-2017
30. Member World Baseball Softball Confederation 1997-2017
31. District Administrator Pakistan Little League Baseball 2009-2016
32. Secretary General SAF Baseball Federation 2011-2017
33. Member Executive Committee Pakistan Olympic Association 2017
34. Senior Vice President Pakistan Archery Federation
    The International Olympic Committee decided to include baseball in the 1992 Olympics, then Syed Khawar Shah decided to introduce this sport in Pakistan and in 1992, the baseball was formally started in Gujranwala because Khawar Shah was then serving as a sports officer in Gujranwala. The first National Baseball Championship was also held this year in which teams from Pakistan Wapda, Pakistan Railway, Islamabad, Balochistan, NWFP, Sindh, Punjab White and Punjab Blue participated. Later teams of Pakistan Police, Pakistan Army and Higher Education Commission also joined.
    Syed Khawar Shah worked hard to make the baseball game popular throughout the country. His efforts made the Pakistan Federation Baseball a member of the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and the Baseball Federation of Asia (BFA). The IBAF and the BFA have always praised Syed Khawar Shah’s efforts for baseball. Syed Khawar Shah also worked tirelessly for the popularity of baseball in the West Asian region. In view of his services, the President of the Baseball Federation of Asia awarded Syed Khawar Shah the Presidential Award in 2011.
    He was also named Executive Director of the West Asian Region Baseball Federation of Asia in 2013.
    Due to the efforts of Syed Khawar Shah, various baseball teams of Pakistan has participated in international competitions and made the country famous. Pakistan’s U12 baseball team has participated in 2nd IBAF U12 Baseball World Cup 2013 which took place in Taiwan. Pakistan’s Women’s Baseball Team has participated in the Women’s Baseball World Cup 2016 in South Korea while the National Baseball Team of Pakistan participated in the 2016 World Baseball Classic Qualifier which was held in New York USA. In addition, Pakistan’s national baseball team regularly participates in Asian games. Syed Khawar Shah also organize several international baseball competitions in Pakistan:
35. 7th Asia Baseball Cup 2006 Rawalpindi Gold
36. 9th Asia Baseball Cup 2009 Islamabad Gold
37. 1st SAF Baseball Cup 2011 Lahore Gold
38. 10th West Asia Baseball Cup 2012 Lahore Gold
39. 11th West Asia Baseball Cup 2013 Lahore Gold
40. 12th West Asia Baseball Cup 2015 Islamabad Gold
41. 13th West Asia Baseball Cup 2017 Islamabad Silver
    Syed Khawar Shah has worked hard to promote sports. He visited the area most affected by terrorism in Pakistan (FATA) and selected players for baseball from there and keep them in the National Baseball Academy established in Lahore. Where these players were provided with baseball training, accommodation, food and education. These players participated in international competitions abroad for Pakistan and revealed the name of their region (FATA) and country.
42. 9th U12 Asian Baseball Championship 2016 China
43. 9th U15 Asian Baseball Championship 2017 Japan
44. 10th U12 Asian Baseball Championship 2018 Taiwan
45. 10th U15 Asian Baseball Championship 2019 China
    In the 10th U-15 Asian Baseball Championship played in China in 2019, Zeeshan Amin from Khyber Agency (FATA) received the Best Outfielder and Best Home Run award and brighten his region and country in the world. While from Punjab, Syed Muhammad Shah won the Best Hitter Award.
    Syed Khawar Shah also did a lot of work for the development of Archery in Pakistan. Khawar Shah has played a major role in the popularity of archery, especially in Punjab. Bahria Archery Academy was established in Bahria Town Lahore for which Pakistan’s best outdoor archery range was provided by the Bahria Administration. Where many national archery competitions were held.
    Syed Khawar Shah remained associated with sports till his death and worked to illuminate Pakistan’s name in the world. His last job is organizing the Ind-o-pak Baseball Series in the UAE called the Dubai Baseball Cup. The series was played in December 2017, in which Pakistan won the gold medal.
    On his return from Dubai Cup, Khawar Shah traveled to Islamabad for a baseball event at the Quaid-e-Azam Games, played in December 2017, where he successfully held baseball competitions, but his tireless work and the cool weather of Islamabad, Syed Khawar Shah became ill. When he was checked up on his return to Lahore, doctors diagnosed the pneumonia and he was admitted to the hospital. Where he transferred to the ventilator but he could not survive and reunited with his creator on 16-01-2018. Syed Khawar Shah died but whenever history of sports is written in Pakistan, Khawar Shah’s name will be written in golden letters. His services will never be forgotten in sports. He also worked hard for baseball players. He worked for the welfare of the players as far as possible i.e. admission of players in univerisities on scholarship and jobs.
    May Allah grant Khawar Shah Sahib a place in his mercy and shower His blessings on him. Aameen