Sindh minister’s push-up challenge draws ridicule
Mahar claims no politician can beat him in push-ups
Sindh Sports Minister Mohammad Bux Mahar. PHOTO: ONLINE
KARACHI:
Sindh’s newly appointed sports minister created an online frenzy on Monday after challenging ministers of other provinces to beat him at push-ups.
The dare went viral within minutes, attracting taunts and ridicule from politicians and commentators for the 29-year-old Mohammad Bux Mahar, who joined the provincial cabinet just over a week ago. While the young minister might have thrown down the gauntlet to his counterparts in an innocuous effort to promote sports, his boastful attempt drew intense criticism at the Sindh government, which is already notorious for its inept and corrupt ways.
Sindh sports minister does 50 push-ups, challenges Punjab counterpart
In a video posted on the internet earlier, Mahar challenged the Punjab provincial ministers, especially the sports minister, to do 50 push-ups to prove they were as fit as him. The minister then went on to do 50 push-ups in less than 40 seconds.
“I think no one can beat me in doing 50 push-ups,” he said, claiming that he was a ‘sportsman’, who spent two to three hours working out daily. “For the first time a sportsman will run this department.”
“The players of Sindh aren’t in the spotlight and this is what I aim to change; even if I have to fight with the federal government,” said Mahar, who is also the youngest member of the Sindh cabinet.
Soon after, a video of Abid Sher Ali, the minister of state for water and power, doing a much more difficult form of push-ups also went viral. He later challenged Mahar to lift 100kg of weight to prove his fitness.
Not one to back down, the Sindh minister threw another challenge. “Let’s have an arm-wrestling. I’m ready for it. Are you?” Mahar said while talking to the media.
As the videos started trending on TV channels, PML-N leaders Talal Chaudhry and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah lambasted Mahar over his immature behaviour. Talal criticised the Sindh minister and asked him to compete with Punjab in the number of sports grounds instead. “There are ghost employees in Sindh. I’m surprised to see the sports minister’s statement. We challenge him in education and health sectors performance,” he said.
Fitness first: Sports festival concludes in Hangu
He added the challenge should instead be comparing which province had more sports facilities and was promoting sports more than the other.
Rana Sanaullah went a step ahead of Talal, saying Mahar may be physically fit but was mentally unfit to be a minister. The Sindh minister could not find much support in his own province as well. PPP lawmaker Shazia Marri said it was ‘unfortunate’ that the new cabinet members were doing politics of push-ups.
When a few journalists raised the issue before Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, he said push-ups were a healthy exercise, but the actual performance would be reflected through hard work in the department.
On social media, one of the PPP MNAs said: “The last round of push-ups should be held between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari.”
Stand-up comedian Ali Gul Pir joined in the criticism of Mahar. “Let’s not vote anymore! Just challenge each other to random things and eventually give the prime minister’s slot to whoever can eat the most nalli nihari,” he tweeted.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2016.
Sindh’s newly appointed sports minister created an online frenzy on Monday after challenging ministers of other provinces to beat him at push-ups.
The dare went viral within minutes, attracting taunts and ridicule from politicians and commentators for the 29-year-old Mohammad Bux Mahar, who joined the provincial cabinet just over a week ago. While the young minister might have thrown down the gauntlet to his counterparts in an innocuous effort to promote sports, his boastful attempt drew intense criticism at the Sindh government, which is already notorious for its inept and corrupt ways.
Sindh sports minister does 50 push-ups, challenges Punjab counterpart
In a video posted on the internet earlier, Mahar challenged the Punjab provincial ministers, especially the sports minister, to do 50 push-ups to prove they were as fit as him. The minister then went on to do 50 push-ups in less than 40 seconds.
“I think no one can beat me in doing 50 push-ups,” he said, claiming that he was a ‘sportsman’, who spent two to three hours working out daily. “For the first time a sportsman will run this department.”
“The players of Sindh aren’t in the spotlight and this is what I aim to change; even if I have to fight with the federal government,” said Mahar, who is also the youngest member of the Sindh cabinet.
Soon after, a video of Abid Sher Ali, the minister of state for water and power, doing a much more difficult form of push-ups also went viral. He later challenged Mahar to lift 100kg of weight to prove his fitness.
Not one to back down, the Sindh minister threw another challenge. “Let’s have an arm-wrestling. I’m ready for it. Are you?” Mahar said while talking to the media.
As the videos started trending on TV channels, PML-N leaders Talal Chaudhry and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah lambasted Mahar over his immature behaviour. Talal criticised the Sindh minister and asked him to compete with Punjab in the number of sports grounds instead. “There are ghost employees in Sindh. I’m surprised to see the sports minister’s statement. We challenge him in education and health sectors performance,” he said.
Fitness first: Sports festival concludes in Hangu
He added the challenge should instead be comparing which province had more sports facilities and was promoting sports more than the other.
Rana Sanaullah went a step ahead of Talal, saying Mahar may be physically fit but was mentally unfit to be a minister. The Sindh minister could not find much support in his own province as well. PPP lawmaker Shazia Marri said it was ‘unfortunate’ that the new cabinet members were doing politics of push-ups.
When a few journalists raised the issue before Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, he said push-ups were a healthy exercise, but the actual performance would be reflected through hard work in the department.
On social media, one of the PPP MNAs said: “The last round of push-ups should be held between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari.”
Stand-up comedian Ali Gul Pir joined in the criticism of Mahar. “Let’s not vote anymore! Just challenge each other to random things and eventually give the prime minister’s slot to whoever can eat the most nalli nihari,” he tweeted.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2016.