It was on April 4 almost seven decades ago that one little-known man from Peshawar transformed a sport and in the process gave a newly-born nation an identity when it desperately needed one.
Though this piece isn’t about Hashim Khan and his maiden British Open triumph in 1951, the problem is that you can’t write anything about the history of Pakistan squash without mentioning the man, who started it all.
No, this piece isn’t about Azam Khan either.
Azam, Hashim’s younger brother was a four-time British Open champion, who passed away from coronavirus in London late last month aged 95. By some strange coincidence I did write a detailed column about Azam and his exploits on these pages just days before he breathed his last at the Ealing Hospital.
This week’s piece is dedicated to the man, who was once described as the wonder kid of Pakistan squash. Mohibullah Senior, fondly known in the world of squash as Mo Khan, was a nephew of Hashim and Azam. His father was Safeerulah Khan while his mother was Hashim’s sister.
While most of the other Khans of that era were late arrivals on the international scene, Mo’s kinship with Hashim and Azam helped him make his British Open debut as a 19-year-old in 1957.
While Hashim and Azam hailed from a humble background, Mohibullah was born with a silver spoon in his mouth as his family had managed pretty well for themselves. He was a man free from care, having developed a taste for the finer things in life.
This was one of the reasons that despite all the potential and talent, Mohibullah could only win the British Open just once during his professional career. Though he got on track very young, Mohibullah just appeared in nine British Opens as he had limited himself to playing squash in North America where he had set up home with the blessings and the helping hand of the Kennedys.
It was Mohibullah’s decision to settle down in the US that influenced his legendary uncle Hashim to join him there with his family a few years later. The American way of life suited Mohibullah fine unlike the other Khans, who had a very serious approach towards life and squash. This man primarily played for his own satisfaction. Though casual in style, the left-handed Mohibullah was a fierce competitor, who would beat the best on his day.
If you asked Roshan Khan, another British Open champion and father of the legendary Jahangir Khan, he would have told you that Mohibullah was even better than his legendary uncles.

“Who was the best of the three: Hashim, Azam or Mohibullah?” I once asked Roshan. “The nephew,” was Roshan’s quick retort. “He was a much better stroke-player than the two brothers,” was his simple reason.
Mohibullah fell in love with America during his trip there in 1960. He and Roshan had gone there to play a number of exhibition matches as a part of the tour, they also played on the Pentagon courts where they were invited to the White House for an informal meeting with President Kennedy. It was there that Mohibullah told the Preident of his desire to live and work in the US. His request was accepted there and then.
It was the President’s brother, Edward Kennedy, who expedited the process, and Mohibullah was now in the US for good.
Back in 1957, Mohibullah had impressed everyone with his heroics in the British Open where he lost in the semis to Roshan but not before a couple of really good performances. It was the year when Roshan became the British Open champion beating Hashim in the final. Mohibullah played and lost in three British Open finals to Azam Khan.
His crowning glory, however, came in 1962 when his name was added to the roll of British Open champions. A hard-hitting and acrobatic player, Mohibullah defeated Egyptian maestro Abu Taleb in the final of the 1962 British Open. For the next 11 years no Pakistan could win the coveted crown.
The British Open that year was an event to remember. Mohibullah edged out Taleb in a way that was no less than a Houdini’s act.
Taleb, who was at his best that year, lead 8-1 in the fourth game of the action-packed final but wasted a series of match points as Mohibullah turned the tables on him.
It was a nerve-wrecking encounter.
Mohibullah drew first blood, taking the opening game 9-4, but Taleb responded by winning the next game 9-5. Not too worried by Mohibullah’s ferocious style, the Egyptian clinched the third game as well and then raced to an 8-1 lead in the fourth. It seemed to be all over for the young Pakistani. But it was then that Taleb relaxed and became more interested in playing for the gallery than taking the final point.
By doing that Taleb provided Mohibullah with a slight opportunity but that was all the needed. A series of winners gave Mohibullah a 10-8 win in that game. His forceful comeback continued in the final game allowing the title to stay in Pakistani hands. Taleb must have learned his lesson from the extra-ordinary defeat as he went on to win three consecutive British Open titles in the years to come.
But for Mohibullah and Pakistan, there was a title drought in the coming years. In 1963, Mohibullah failed in his campaign to defend the title bowing out in the semi-finals. The defeat ended Pakistan’s supremacy in the British Open that had lasted for 13 years.
Mohibullah made his final appearance in the tournament in 1972, ten years after winning his only title but that was after staying away from the softball game for the best part of the decade. Mohibullah lost in the quarterfinals to the famous Australian Ken Hiscoe. However, during his stay away from the softball game in Britian, Mohibullah became a star on the hardball circuit in North America. He was a four-time US Open champion. He reached and lost in four more finals and was also a three-time semi-finalist.
Mohibullah was respected and cherished by the American squash fraternity. He died early at the age of 56 in 1994. Even in death he was different from his other family members, who mostly lived long. His father Safeerullah died two years later. Both the father and son lay beside each other in their ancestral graveyard in Nawakilli. Mohibullah had finally come home to rest in peace for eternity.