Aamir Atlas Khan, Hashim Khan, Jahangir Khan, and Jansher Khan. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR: Nawa Kalay is a village with star power. Located in the suburbs of Peshawar, the area has produced eight world-class squash champions who have won nearly 37 international tournaments.
The village of 18,000 dominated the world of squash for years, but no international player surfaced from Nawa Kalay in the last 14 years. It was in May 2013 when that spell was finally broken when Aamir Atlas Khan won the Asian Squash Championship, beating Kuwait’s Abdullah al Mezayan in three sets in the final.
Despite the international acclaim of its residents, there are no public squash courts in the area and young players practice in the Pakistan Air Force squash courts in Peshawar.
But despite the odds, Hashim Khan, considered one of the greatest athletes of his time, made it to the top. Hashim’s father, Abdullah Khan, was a head steward at a club in Peshawar where British Army officers stationed in the area played squash. Hashim was an unpaid ball boy back then where he watched officers play and learnt the game – well enough to win seven British Open tournaments from 1951 to 1958. Among other wins, Hashim also secured three US Open titles.
Hashim’s younger brother, Azam Khan, won the British Open four times from 1959 to 1962 and was the runner-up thrice. He also won the US Open in 1962.
Legendary Roshan Khan, father of Jahangir Khan, was another leading squash player from the Khan clan and won the British Open title in 1957.
Another legend, Jansher Khan, also known as ‘King Khan’, ruled the world of squash between 1974 and 1984 where he ranked World Number 1. Jansher himself won the World Open eight times and the British Open six times.
Jansher was taught by his brother Mohibullah Khan, commonly known as ‘Mo Khan’. Although Mohibullah did not reach Jansher’s fame and prowess, he was World Number 2 from 1975to 1976 and also secured the British Open title.
Another international player, Qamar Zaman, won the Pakistan Junior Squash Championship in 1968 and grabbed the British Open in 1975. He was runner-up to Geoff Hunt in 1978, 1979, and 1980 and to Jahangir in 1984.
But the real surprise for Nawa Kalay and the rest of the world came in 1982 when Jahangir won the International Squash Players Association championship without losing a single point.
Rehmat Khan, who was the World Number 12 and coach to great players such as Jahangir, Jonathan Power, Aamir Atlas and Siddharth Suchde, said when someone from the village won a game, residents would go to welcome the player at the airport and carry him till his house on their shoulders. Such an occasion has been missing for many years.
“The lack of vision and investment in the game has shifted the rule of Peshawar’s players on the world of squash to other countries. Until 2013, we had not produced a single international player in more than a decade,” Rehmat lamented.
“We were playing with torn balls, had no proper uniform, no courts, but despite all these problems we were committed and practiced for six hours each day to bring international recognition for the country and for the Pakhtuns,” said Zaman, who is also the Vice President of the Pakistan Squash Federation. “We still have talented players but people do not give the game the time it needs.”
But Jahangir says the fall of the game in Pakistan can be attributed to the Pakistan Squash Federation.
“It is very disappointing that Nawa Kalay ruled the world of squash for over 30 years and now we have lost that achievement. There is lack of proper guidance and commitment from the squash federation,” said the former World Number 1.
“Players these days concentrate on winning the Karachi Open, National Tournament and Asian Championship, which were not priorities for us at all. We were focused on the British Open and other international tournaments,” Jahangir said, adding that there was still a lot of politics in the selection of players. “Some officials in the federation do not have any background of squash.”
Qamar says there are around 490 players in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, both men and women. Of these, only 19 players have contacts with different government departments who they represent in tournaments.
The Pakistan Squash Federation needs to send people abroad for international tournaments and give them financial support, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2013.
COMMENTS (11)
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@Ch. Allah Daad:
the decline of squash biggest issue are the new players themselves. There motivation level has gone down. Squash players require extreme training campared to other games. Most of the new players are happy if they win local and small international tournaments as the prize money is big enough. Their motivation to become world champion has faded... Blaming old players makes no sense. They bcome champions with much less resources than the current players...you cant be spoon fed every time...!!!!
Despite the international acclaim of its residents, there are no public squash courts in the area and young players practice in the Pakistan Air Force squash courts in Peshawar.
I sincerely hope the situation changes in NayaKP!
**
I once heard Jahangir Khan on TV saying that the youngsters of today are no longer training (6 hrs every day) properly for the game.
Many factual errors. Just an example.
"Another legend, Jansher Khan, also known as ‘King Khan’, ruled the world of squash between 1974 and 1984".
Jansher was born in 1969. He was 5 years old in 1974. Even if it was a typo and ET meant Jahangir, it is still not correct, Jahangir was born in 1963 and he did not start ruling world of squash at age 11.
A good article but the author did not ask the right questions from Jahangir and Jansher. These two sporting heroes ruled the world of squash for several years. They made a lot of money and gained fame from this sport. What have they done for this sport after retiring. Instead of asking the government to do something perhaps they should do something. Without squash they would be nothing. So squash and Pakistan have given them a lot. Please turn around and do something for squash and Pakistan. Open squash academies with your money. Train kids in squash give education to kids in the locality. Do something instead of lamenting that what they have done for Pakistan understand that Pakistan has given them fame and fortune. It is time for them to return the favor.
A very good article but there are factual errors in it. Amir Atlas has never been the world champion. He just won the Asian championship earlier this year and his curent world ranking is outiside the top 50 club.
I don't understand. From 1952 to 1989 the Khans won 50+ of British and World Championships when there were far fewer facilities, support and infrastructure. Current facilities, access,support and funding are certainly no worse than what existed between 1952 to 1989, in real rupee terms. Why blame the govt and the federation? The reality is that the other players in other countries learnt and got better- just like hockey. And BTW, the millions that were earned by the players- if they are so concerned about the standing in Squash, invest your own money, set up squash training and institutes, produce champions and make more money! Just like Nick Bolletteri and the Spanish Tennis academies. Stop complaining - and follow models that have succeeded where public funding is not available. Its a win-win, both for the country and private enterprise. Always easy to blame the government for everything.
There is one power which is more important than Money. Its called "Access". These world class players and champions had that power in their grasp. For decades they had "Access" to every ruler, politician, landlord and industrialist of the country. With this power, they could have changed their village and game of Squash. In Sports, only Imran has used this power for benefit of people. Most of others used it for themselves and Squash champions are amongst those. Waiting for government and others to do something which you love is stupid. I may sound negative but I don't buy their story.
No doubt squash is pride for the people of Nawa Kali, unfortunately nobody work to secure or spend time on the childeren of nawakali. I am the victim of that system. My grandfather Abdul Bari Khan introduced squash in subcontinent and found Hashim khan.
Provide Opportunities & Platforms to these very talented Pashtoon Nation and they will keep your head high in the world in every walk of life...
No doubt, Nawa Kalay is unique in Pakistan
Like in all other areas of Governance, it is ultimately the sports governing body, just like the PCB, that let its players down. Otherwise, there's plenty of talent in Pakistan.