Army chief meets squash prodigy Hamza, pledges to help sports flourish

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir met World Junior Squash Champion Mohammad Hamza Khan in Rawalpindi on Friday, the military media affairs wing said.

Talking to the young champion, the COAS said the army will continue supporting the young talent in the country and promised to provide him full support in academic pursuits and sports.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army congratulated Hamza for bringing honour to the country. “Talented youth like you are the pride of our country. Your great achievement also highlights the great talent of the country,” he added.

COAS Munir emphasised that the country’s youth is the future of this country and with focus, dedication, and hard work there was nothing that Pakistan could not accomplish.

Hamza Khan made the country proud by winning the World Junior Squash Championship in Melbourne on July 23, becoming the first Pakistani player to win the event since Jansher Khan 37 years ago.

In the final, he beat Egyptian Mohamed Zakaria with a scoreline of 10-12, 14-12, 11-3, and 11-6.

Despite losing the first game, Hamza made a grand comeback to win three on the bounce.

According to PTV Sports, the last time a Pakistani made the finals was when Amir Atlas did so in 2008. The last winner from Pakistan was Jansher Khan in 1986.