PESHAWAR
Hailing from a village called Nawa Khali, producing seven World Squash Champions visited City Traffic Police Headquarters Gulbahar and aimed to be the eighth for which he is working his seven to eight day training under qualified coaches.
Talking to APP, World Junior Squash Champion Hamza Khan during his visit to City Traffic Police Peshawar Traffic Headquarters Gulbahar, met Chief Traffic Officer Qamar Hayat Khan. Soon after his arrival, Chief Traffic Officer Qamar Hayat Khan warmly received the World Junior Squash Champion and congratulated him over his impressive victory in the Junior World Championship.
World Junior Squash Champion Hamza Khan participated in FM Radio 88.6 and YouTube program by giving direct answers to citizens’ questions.
Pakistan squash is back, exclaimed the commentator at the Melbourne Sports Center as the dashing Muhammad Hamza Khan pulled off one of greatest victories for his country by defeating Egypt’s 15-year-old Mohamed Zakaria 3-1 to lift the World Junior Squash title in Melbourne in August this year.
The young sensation from Peshawar came from one set down to win 10-12, 14-12, 11-3, 11-6 and created history as he became the first Pakistani squash player in the last 37 years to win the World Squash trophy after Jansher Khan who bagged the title way back in 1986.
Between 1986 and 2023, Amir Atlas emerged as the only player who came close to repeating Jansher’s feat 15 years ago by reaching the final of the event but fell short. Hamza played like a boy possessed as he matched the talented Egyptian opponent stroke for stroke. Despite having lost the first set 10-12 Hamza remained undeterred and overcame Zakaria in 71 minutes to lift the title in style.
“I am very happy, thanks to Allah, thanks to my coach and my parents,” said Hamza Khan during his visit to the Traffic Headquarter Peshawar at Gulbahar. Hamza went on to praise his coach and his parents: especially his father and thanked every Pakistani living around the world for their support and appreciation. “It further encouraged me, the way my Pakistani supporters prayed for my victory,” Hamza Khan said. The former British Junior Champion has seen some trying times but is now setting his eyes on a successful professional career from hereon.
The 17-year-old Hamza hails from a family of legends that include British Open winner Qamar Zaman and Ex- World No-14 player Shahid Zaman Khan.
“I am incredibly happy; it is a great achievement for my future in squash. Hamza’s father Niazullah while speaking to APP said: “I feel this is a result of Hamza’s talent and hard work and the prayers of the Pakistani nation.”
Hamza’s journey to the world junior title was a challenging one since initially he had little financial support and no sponsors to back him. Thanks to Almighty Allah Hamza Khan proved himself and got the support of the whole of the Pakistani nation, his father, who was accompanied by Hamza said.
He also thanked the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), who came to Hamza, rescued him well. The PSF bore all the expenses of his participation in the World Junior Championship. “I want to thank the PSF and especially the Pakistan Army, they supported my son a lot, and I am grateful to them with all my heart, and Inshallah I am hopeful that Hamza Khan would win back more titles in the days to come, “ Niaz Ullah said.
Hamza Khan, the two-time Asian Junior Championship winner and the former US U-19 champion, grew in confidence with each passing minute, playing superbly and even challenging his strong rivals during the World Junior Championship in Australia.
Meanwhile, Hamza’s coach Tahir Iqbal added that it was a huge achievement for Hamza to win the title and it will bring the government’s and the PSF’s attention to the talented players in Pakistan. “With Hamza, I have fulfilled the dream that I wanted to achieve for my younger brother and Pakistan’s number one player Nasir Iqbal,” Tahir Iqbal, a squash coach in the Directorate of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said.
“Hamza has extraordinary talent and I am hopeful he will continue winning other titles as well in future because he has natural skill and physical power,” said Tahir. Hamza trained in Peshawar with Tahir. Tahir believes that talent like Hamza’s must get proper training abroad.
“The key is to get sponsorships for the players so that they can compete at the professional events, there needs to be a long-term plan for them, and there need to be opportunities for them, right now there are none, but I hope that his win can change the minds of many associated with game since long,” Tahir Iqbal said.
Earlier, World Junior Squash Champion Hamza Khan went to Traffic School Hayatabad and addressed the traffic wardens under training. Traffic wardens and officials perform their duties honestly regardless of wind and rain, heat and cold, Hamza Khan said.
Traffic wardens and officials are always trying to provide travel facilities to the citizens. Chief Traffic Officer Qamar Hayat Khan presented the shield to World Junior Squash Champion Hamza Khan on behalf of the institution in the end.
