PESHAWAR (Monitoring Desk): Former squash world champion Jansher Khan inaugurated the 25-day long Ramadan Summer Squash Camp for Under-9 and Under-11 boys and girls at the PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex on Friday.
Jansher was joined by president K-P squash association Qamar Zaman, head coach of PAF Squash Academy Atlas Khan, former world number 10 Amjad Khan, PAF coaches Gulab Sher, Maqsood Hanif, Nazir Khan, Kamran Khan, Riaz Khan, member executive committee and head coach Blue Tone Squash Academy Wazir Gul and secretary K-P squash association Munawar Zaman.
Zaman, who is also the vice-president Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), disclosed that hosting of the Summer Squash Camp is an annual feature of the K-P squash association calendar wherein more than 80 boys and girls are part of the camp this year.
He said that during the camp, league matches would also be organised among the players of the Ramadan Summer Squash Camp and the position holders would be awarded cash prizes and trophies so that they could be encouraged. Jansher congratulated K-P Squash Association for holding the camp on regular basis which he believes provides opportunities to the youngsters to perform at the national and the international levels. He also appreciated Pakistan Squash Federation for their dedication and commitment toward the promotion of squash in the country.
He said if the decisions were made on merit and due attention was given to the deserving players, the Pakistani players have the potential to shine in the international circuit. He said the PSF has taken a bold step for the revival of international squash in Pakistan and hosted numerous tournaments which will certainly help the players to improve their international rankings.
“The resumption of international squash in the country is quite commendable and through this way we are able to portray a soft image of Pakistan to the rest of the world,” Jansher added. Jansher also appreciated the performance of the Pakistan Squash Federation for focusing on the junior players and planning a longer duration of training and coaching programs besides providing them international exposures.
Jansher said that merit based decision would always work as far as selection of the junior players is concerned. The players performing at junior levels should be further focused in attaining more titles, he opined.
“Pakistan has immense talent for squash. Skill-wise our players are unparalleled but their physical fitness levels are yet to touch the international standards,” Jansher, who won the World Open a record eight times and the British Open six times, said. According to Jansher, though, Pakistan had all the ingredients to become a formidable nation in squash once again. “We have great talent but we need to be focused. I’m sure soon we will start making squash champions.”
Earlier, Jansher Khan and Qamar Zaman formally inaugurated the Summer Coaching Camp by playing a rally.
