Javelin ace Arshad Nadeem, who set a new Olympic record in Paris and won Pakistan its first gold medal in 40 years, was given a hero's welcome as he landed at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore late Saturday night.
Top officials including the provincial and federal ministers, the Olympic hero’s family and his fans in large numbers arrived at the airport to receive Nadeem.
The javelin superstar, whose flight departed 27 minutes late from Istanbul Airport, returned home via a Turkish Airlines flight TK-174, which landed at the Lahore airport at 1:25am.
According to Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority sources, the flight adopted a routine route and entered Lahore via Balochistan and Karachi. The flight took 5 hours and 23 minutes to reach Lahore from Istanbul.
On the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the flight — carrying the national hero — was welcomed with a water cannon salute at the airport.
Federal Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Prime Minister Youth Program Chairman Rana Mashhood, Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima and Khawaja Saad Rafique — on behalf of the government— welcomed Nadeem at the airport.
During his interaction with journalists at the airport, Nadeem said he was "grateful to Allah" for his great achievement during the Paris Olympics 2024. He also thanked the nation for the respect and honour it has bestowed on him.
Due to the prayers of his parents and the nation, Allah brought me to this position, he added.
“There is a long journey behind this success. [I] worked hard day and night to get the medal.”
Responding to a question, the national hero, hailed the government, Sports Board Punjab and others for providing him facilities.
“I'm very happy to win a gold medal [for my country] during the [Paris] Olympics,” he said, adding that he would prepare himself to maintain his performance in the upcoming events.
Later, the javelin star left the airport for his hometown via a double decker bus. The Punjab police were escorting the bus.
Nadeem won the Olympic men’s javelin title in Paris on Thursday, beating defending champion, India's Neeraj Chopra, to secure Pakistan's first individual gold medal at a Summer Games.
The six-feet-three-inch-tall Nadeem made the country proud by hurling the javelin to 92.97 metres, improving the Olympic record by over 2.50 metres, and forcing the packed-to-capacity crowd to give him a standing ovation.
Before Arshad’s remarkable victory, Pakistan had never won an individual gold medal at the Olympics.
All of Pakistan’s previous three gold medals came in field hockey, with their team winning gold in 1960, 1968, and 1984.
Prior to Thursday, only two Pakistan athletes had won individual medals of any colour — with a wrestling bronze in 1960 and a boxing bronze in 1988.
Since the 1992 Barcelona Games, Pakistan has not won a medal of any kind.
Speaking exclusively to Geo News, Pakistani ace javelin thrower said: “It was my day. I could have thrown at a greater distance.”
In recognition of his record-breaking performance in the Paris Olympics 2024, President Asif Ali Zardari directed that javelin star Nadeem be awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz — the second-highest civilian award given by the Government of Pakistan.
The president will confer the civilian award to Nadeem in a special ceremony, recognising his distinguished services in the field of sports, a statement from the Aiwan-e-Sadr said Saturday.
Following the president's directive, the Aiwan-e-Sadr has sent a letter to the Cabinet Division, requesting the award for the athlete.
The letter highlights Nadeem's exceptional performance, which has brought great pride to the nation. His remarkable achievements on the global stage have become a source of national pride, as he has significantly elevated Pakistan's status in the field of athletics.
The president will bestow the civilian award on Nadeem under Article 259(2) of the Constitution, which allows the President to honour citizens for their valuable contributions across various fields.
The federal government has issued a special postage stamp themed 'Azm-e-Istehkam' in connection with Pakistan's Independence Day.
The postage stamp features an image of Pakistani Olympian Arshad Nadeem, paying tribute to his achievements.
The title 'Azm-e-Istehkam' on the postage stamp represents the government's unwavering commitment to the country's progress and stability.
The inclusion of the Minar-e-Pakistan in the design also highlights the symbolic significance of Pakistan's struggle for independence.
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