Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met Khair Muhammad, the father of mixed martial arts champion Shahzaib Rind, and presented him with a cheque for Rs5 million, honoring a long-delayed commitment made to the athlete. During their meeting in Islamabad, the Prime Minister extended his best wishes for Rind’s upcoming fights and lauded the fighter’s accomplishments on the global stage.
This gesture comes just days after Shahzaib publicly criticized the federal government for unfulfilled promises made to him following his international victories. In a now-deleted post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Rind disclosed that he had been promised Rs5 million in cash and an additional Rs80 million for training support after a significant win—promises he stated were never honored. Despite repeated attempts to contact the PM’s team over the past 1.5 years, he reported receiving no response. However, he acknowledged the consistent support from individuals such as Sarfaraz Bugti, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, and DHA Quetta, who he credited with standing by him throughout his journey.
In response to the controversy, Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar issued an official apology on Saturday, acknowledging a miscommunication and deeming the delay unjustified. “Sportsmen like you are our real heroes,” Tarar wrote on X, assuring that the Prime Minister had taken serious notice and issued directives for an immediate resolution, emphasizing that such oversights “must never happen in the future.” Shahzaib responded with appreciation, writing: “Thank you for your kind message and acknowledgment. I truly appreciate the prime minister’s attention to this matter and his commitment to supporting athletes like myself.”
Shahzaib Rind, a fighter hailing from Balochistan, made history in 2024 by winning the Karate Combat KC-49 Light Heavyweight Championship in Singapore, where he defeated Brazil’s Luiz Victor Rocha. He remained undefeated throughout the tournament and became the first Pakistani to clinch a major global martial arts title. Previously, President Asif Ali Zardari and Balochistan CM Sarfraz Bugti had awarded Shahzaib Rs100 million and commended him for bringing honor to the country.
