Former Pak boxer fighting serious illness without financial support

KARACHI: South Asian Games 1989 gold medallist boxer Abdul Majeed Qambrani is battling a serious illness and his family says that he needs financial support for his treatment.

“Majeed is battling a serious illness. Both of his lungs have failed and he is getting dialysis treatment,” his elder brother Younis Qambrani told ‘The News’ on Wednesday. “He desperately needs assistance from the Sindh government, Ministry of IPC and his department K-Electric,” Younis said.

“Around one and a half month ago K-Electric retired him, which created a huge issue of treatment for my brother who was a hard-working boxer,” Younis said. He said when he was on the payroll of K-Electric he used to get treatment at the Liaquat National Hospital but now he is taken to the Civil Hospital daily for dialysis.

“At Liaquat National, he was getting good treatment because K-Electric was supporting him but now Majeed’s treatment is not of high quality because of his weak financial position,” said Younis, who also runs Pak Shaheen Boxing Club at Lyari.

‘The News’ has learnt that Majeed’s health is deteriorating fast. He is unable to recognise any person. He has no bank balance and his treatment is very expensive. K-Electric will release his pension but it may take quite some time.

Majeed has a 12-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son Hannan Qambrani. Younis said that Majeed won SAG gold on debut, and one silver and one bronze on his Europe trip where he was accompanied by Olympic bronze medallist Hussain Shah and Asghar Ali Shah.

Olympian Abdul Rasheed Qambrani is the younger brother of Majeed. They are seven brothers. Three of them played boxing at various levels. Majeed also represented Pakistan in the 1990 Asian Games. This correspondent tried to contact an official of K-Electric but he did not receive calls.