The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) recently held a ceremony to honor and reward national heroes who have made the country proud through their outstanding performances in international competitions. Advisor to the Prime Minister on Inter-Provincial Coordination, Rana Sanaullah Khan, attended the event, along with Federal Secretary Mohiuddin Wani and Director General PSB Muhammad Yasir Pirzada. A total of Rs. 8.2 million in cash awards was distributed among 36 athletes who excelled in various global events.
Some notable recipients of the awards include Haider Ali, the Paralympic champion, who received a cash award of PKR 5 million for his bronze medal win at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem received Rs. 2 million for winning the gold medal at the Asian Championship, while his coach Salman Iqbal Butt received Rs. 600,000. Other athletes who received awards include Muhammad Asif for winning a gold medal in snooker, Ahsan Ramzan for securing a bronze medal in the U-21 Asian Championship, and Muhammad Naseem Akhtar for his bronze medal in the same event.
In addition to the cash awards, the PSB also allocated funds to various national sports federations as part of the federation grants phase. A total of Rs. 63.9 million was awarded to 22 national sports federations under annual and special grant categories. The Athletics Federation of Pakistan received Rs. 10 million, while the Pakistan Bodybuilding Federation received Rs. 2.5 million. Other federations that received grants include the Pakistan Badminton Federation, Pakistan Handball Federation, Pakistan Judo Federation, and Pakistan Karate Federation.
The total disbursed amount by the Pakistan Sports Board was Rs. 72.1 million, consisting of Rs. 8.2 million in cash awards and Rs. 63.9 million in federation grants. This reflects the government’s commitment to supporting national sports, rewarding athletes, and strengthening the country’s sports infrastructure through consistent financial assistance. The awards and grants are expected to promote sports development and encourage athletes to perform at their best in international competitions, ultimately bringing pride and recognition to Pakistan.