Jahangir rues decline of squash in Pakistan

KARACHI: Former world squash champion Jahangir Khan has lamented the decline of squash in Pakistan and the lack of passion that the current players show that has resulted in a fall in rankings.

The former World Squash Federation president also compared Pakistan players to their foreign counterparts and said that Pakistan’s fall in the world of squash is due to the lack of hard work, dedication and passion shown by its players.

“Our players have failed to match their opponents’ brilliance owing to a lack of commitment, passion and discipline,” Khan told The Express Tribune.

“The players who started playing at the same time as some of our players are placed in the top-five. Their standards and potential were the same as our players but they landed greater rewards with a disciplined performance. You can achieve big targets but you must also have big objectives in your mind. Our players lack these objectives.”

Khan, who won the British Open a record 10 times and the World Open six times, added that the game’s international activities can return to Pakistan if the government and the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) make sincere efforts.

“The squash matches are held indoors and I feel that in an indoor event, there won’t be a security problem for the foreign teams.”

He added that whenever international events such as Pakistan Open were staged in the country, the venues were fully secured and manned by the Pakistan Air Force, the governing body of PSF.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 31, 2010