Arsalan Khan
Squash is considered amongst the popular sports worldwide. It was first invented in 1830 at Harrow school of England. After the gradual promotion of the game, the first squash court was built in 1860s. The Squash is managed globally by World Squash Federation (WSF) which came into effect in 1967. WSF currently consists of 147 countries as its members and is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as an authorized body to govern the rules and supervise different tournaments globally. British Open and WSF World Championships are considered to be among the most prestigious squash events in the world. The game of squash enjoys an inheritance which is rich in pride, victory and rejoices for Pakistan. Since the 1950s, when Hashim Khan became the first Pakistani to represent the country in British Open and went on to win the title seven times, the sport garnered much appreciation from the common Pakistanis. Hashim Khan idealized an effective prominence in the sport and went on to win the Great Britain Professional Championship, three US Open titles and three Canadian Open titles to his name. The chapter unveiled by him continued its legacy throughout the latter half of 20th century. Several great names from the Khan clan rose to the heights making waves in the world of squash. These included champions such as Azam Khan, Roshan Khan, Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan, Mohibullah Khan and Qamar Zaman. As Hashim Khan himself was a coach in Pakistan Air force (PAF) and his first trip to the British Open was sponsored by PAF, regarding this it should not come as a surprise that the game enjoys a lot of patronage from the armed forces. Chief of the Air Staff is the President of Pakistan Squash Federation and major events of the sport including the Chief of the Air Staff and Chief of the Naval Staff Open Championships are sponsored by PAF and Pakistan Navy respectively. The armed forces, in particular, Pakistan Navy have contributed to provide patronage to Squash while encouraging officers and men to practice and excel in the sports. There is hardly any Pakistan Navy establishment void of international standard squash courts for continued promotion of the game amongst all ranks and files. In Pakistan Navy, the game of squash started with a single squash court in Manora and the journey from single court to a world-class squash complex became possible by deep commitment of the Navy with this game. By 1991, Pakistan Navy had established an international-level squash complex at Saddar. The sports complex was named to pay homage to the legacy of famed Pakistani father-son duo Roshan Khan and Jahangir Khan. The complex continues to provide training to young and emerging talent to-date. The squash complex hosts Chief of Naval Staff Open Squash Championship every year which includes the participation of big names in the sport coming from all over the world and competing on Pakistani soil. While the sport has a rich history of Pakistani victors in all major international events, there has been a slump since the 1990s whereby Pakistani players have struggled to compete at international events. This was further aggravated after deteriorating security situation inside the country post 9/11. In 2000, Pakistan Navy hosted the inaugural Chief of the Naval Staff Open Squash Championship to revive the sport inside the country and provide an avenue for budding local players to play and compete against international talent. The event offered reassurance to foreigners that Pakistan is a safe haven and projected a positive image of the country. Since then, the event has expanded its magnitude with increasing participation in each edition. Local players like Danish Atlas and Farhan Mehboob emerged to prominence through the event which now sees participation from across the globe. The 13th edition of Chief of the Naval Staff International Squash conducted in 2018 saw 12 foreign players from 08 countries who participated in the game. Moreover, the 14th edition of the same is scheduled to be held at Roshan Khan Squash Complex from 04-08th February 2020 wherein 15 foreign players from 06 countries will participate. Outlook seems promising as Pakistan Navy continues to provide patronage to the spoil holding fresh editions of the Chief of Naval Staff International. With continuity, the championship is poised to become a major event in the country providing much-needed conducive environment for future foreign participation along with all the other sports in Pakistan as well, reinforcing a softer and positive image of the country worldwide.
