Haroon in Pakistan squad for CW Games

Haroon Shahid will be representing Pakistan in this year’s Commonwealth Games.

KARACHI: Haroon Shahid, younger brother of Britain’s light welterweight world champion, Amir Khan will be representing Pakistan in this year’s Commonwealth Games. The Pakistan Boxing Federation decided to include Haroon in the six-member national squad for the event that will be held from October 3 till October 14 in New Delhi.

Haroon won the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) bantam weight title last year and also has other junior titles under his belt. The PBF secretary Akram Khan felt his inclusion in the side has brightened the team’s chances of winning in the event.

“He is an excellent boxer and has been trained at his brother’s academy - so definitely our chances of winning medals have increased,” Khan told The Express Tribune following the team’s announcement.

Haroon, who is famous in the UK as “Harry Khan”, will join the national training camp next month. “Haroon will be coming in August to join his teammates. It is important for him to train in our conditions which are similar to those in India,” said the secretary.

According to Akram, the PBF are not only relying on Haroon for winning medals at the competition.

“Wasim, Nisar and Mir Waiz also have a lot of experience and have also won accolades for the country- so we are banking on all our boxers,” said Akram while adding that the Cuban coach recommended the names of these boxers after working with them for months.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2010.