Pakistan has few squash players for international events

KARACHI: Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) is apparently left with only three senior and five junior players to field in international tournaments, which reflects the current gloomy state of the game of squash in the country.
The senior players are Nasir Iqbal, Farhan Zaman, and Danish Atlas Khan. The juniors are Tayyab Aslam, Asim Khan, Israr Ahmed, Ahsan Ayaz, and Abbas Shoukat.
Nasir, Farhan and Tayyab are currently playing in Australia, while junior players recently participated in World Junior Championship in Netherlands.
“Six of them were given central contracts by the federation and practically speaking they are the only players PSF is left with now,” said an official of a provincial squash association. “PSF has extended its support to only these players, added the official, and this is because they are pursuing their policy of favouritism,” added the official.
It is to be noted that the country’s best players Amir Atlas Khan and Farhan Mehboob have been sidelined by the federation. They were accused of blackmailing the federation to gain favours.
Amir Atlas Khan while talking to ‘The News’ recently termed this central contract a joke. “The top officials of the federation, especially the senior vice president, are responsible for the downfall of squash. This is the reason why I will soon accept a contract offered to me by another country to play using their logo. They read about the injustice being done to me by PSF and offered me this contract,” he said.
He said the officials of the federation didn’t give respect to the players who won many laurels for the country. “The new president of PSF must come forward to rescue this game. He has to play his role for squash,” added Amir.
Mehboob Khan, the father of Farhan, Waqar, and Waqas, said he was also disappointed by the PSF for ignoring his sons. “The federation is not doing any good to the game of squash by ignoring my three sons who have huge potential and have proved this many a time,” he said.
Mehboob added it was beyond comprehension why the federation was not supporting his sons. “If they have issues with Farhan, they can support Waqar and Waqas. But it seems they have decided not to support any of my sons,” he said.
Sometime ago, Waqar left the country to play in the United States.
But PSF insists that its doors are open for all squash players of the country. “Our doors are open for all players. We invite all of them before camps and trials for international events. They have to make efforts and should come out of their comfort zones and actively participate in events, camps, trials to get the desired places,” said PSF secretary Amir Nawaz.