Rana Sanaullah hands Rs4 million cash prizes to national squash heroes
BY NAWAZ GOHAR ; Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) and President of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), Rana Sanaullah Khan, officially conferred cash awards totaling Rs4 million upon the four members of Pakistan’s gold medal-winning squash squad during a formal ceremony at the PSB Headquarters in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The four national players—Noor Zaman, Muhammad Asim Khan, Nasir Iqbal, and Ashab Irfan—were presented with cash awards of Rs1 million each in recognition of their dominant victory at the 23rd Asian Team Squash Championships 2026, which concluded at the Mushaf Squash Complex earlier this week.
The high-profile ceremony was attended by senior sports and administrative leadership, including IPC Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, PSB Director General Yawar Hussain, and Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) Secretary General Group Captain (Retd.) Amir Nawaz.
Pakistan’s victory in the continental final was marked by a clinical 2-0 sweep over South Korea.
First Match: Noor Zaman delivered an aggressive performance to defeat Jeongmin Ryu in straight games: 11-5, 11-7, 13-11.
Decisive Match: Muhammad Asim Khan sealed the championship title by overpowering Seojin Oh: 11-6, 11-5, 11-4.
Addressing the delegation, Rana Sanaullah commended the discipline, technical caliber, and tactical execution demonstrated by the players throughout the tournament, describing their victory on home courts as a pivotal milestone for national sports.
"Restoring Pakistan's legacy on the international squash court is a matter of immense national pride," Rana Sanaullah Khan stated. "This cash incentive reflects the government's steadfast commitment to ensuring our national heroes receive direct financial recognition for their sacrifices and achievements. When our athletes stand atop the continental podium, they inspire an entire generation."
Secretary IPC Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani and PSB Director General Yawar Hussain both highlighted that structured state incentives are vital for sustaining momentum in racquet sports, noting that performance-linked cash rewards will remain a standard policy for national teams achieving top-tier podium finishes.
In the women's division of the tournament, Hong Kong China secured the gold medal after edging past Malaysia 2-1 in a closely contested final, while South Korea took home the silver medal in the men's category behind Pakistan.
Following the championship ceremony, the Ministry of IPC and the PSF confirmed plans to maintain year-round high-performance training camps at the Mushaf Squash Complex to prepare the national squad for upcoming international PSA circuit events and global team championships.
