Islamabad
Pakistani squash player Farhan Mehboob believes the government and Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) should work together to regain the lost glory in the game of squash and promote the game at the district level, as it was lacking popularity there. “Squash courts need to be built at the district level in order to identify the game of squash in the country. Besides making squash courts, the government and PSF will have to work jointly to promote the game at the district level,” he told APP.
He said squash was not as much popular in Pakistan as it was mostly being played in cities including Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi.
“Though our legends Jansher Khan, Jahangir Khan, Qamar Zaman, Hashim Khan, Roshan Khan, Azam Khan and Mohibullah Khan Sr have ruled the world in squash, but the game has not gained that much popularity in Pakistan which it could have,” he said.
Farhan, who reached the career-high world ranking of World No. 16 in May 2009, said the main reason for this was the absence of courts at the district level. “At the rural and remote areas, children do not even know what the game of squash is,” he said.
To a question, Farhan said the game of squash was just like a family to him. “My father Mehboob Khan, Uncle Jansher Khan and other relatives Atlas Khan, Mohibullah Khan and their sons all have been in the game of squash and made the country proud,” he said and added my father who coached me for 15 years had played a very important role in my success.
Farhan, who was part of the gold medal winning team at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, said here was no doubt that Pakistan could regain the lost glory in the game of squash at the international arena but for that players need to work hard. “More and more competitions should be held in schools, colleges at the grassroots level,” he said. —APP
