Peshawar honours Muhammad Shoaib after he ends Pakistan’s 25-year ITF title wait

PESHAWAR: Young tennis player Muhammad Shoaib was honoured at the Peshawar Sports Complex on Wednesday after becoming the first Pakistani in 25 years to win an ITF International title.

The ceremony was organised by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Tennis Association, which welcomed the 18-year-old with flower garlands and applause. Former provincial sports minister Syed Aqil Shah and Director General Sports Tashfeen Haider attended as chief guests, while Olympic Association President Haroon Zafar and Vice President Umar Ayaz Khalil were also present among other officials from the sports and administrative sectors.

During the event, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Tennis Association President DIG Saleem Marwat presented Shoaib with a cash prize of Rs50,000 in recognition of his achievement.

Achievement hailed as a milestone

Addressing the gathering, Syed Aqil Shah described Shoaib’s success as an important moment for both the province and the country.

After 25 years, a Pakistani tennis player has won an ITF title.

he said.

This reflects the immense talent in our province, especially given that Shoaib succeeded with limited resources and inadequate facilities.

Shah said the victory highlighted the potential of athletes from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa despite the constraints they face.

Concerns raised over sports facilities

The former minister also voiced concern over the condition of sports infrastructure in the province, particularly at the Peshawar Sports Complex. He pointed to damaged nets, worn-out courts and the lack of basic facilities, including an electronic scoreboard.

Despite major development claims, ground realities tell a different story.

he said.

Shah further said that if Shoaib had secured the same achievement in another province, he would likely have received stronger official backing and larger financial rewards. He added that athletes in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were not receiving sufficient encouragement and said there was no proper talent-hunt system in place.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, athletes lack proper encouragement and a systematic talent-hunt mechanism.

The remarks linked Shoaib’s success to broader concerns about the support structure available to athletes in the province.

Training programme in the United States

The ceremony concluded with an announcement that Shoaib will soon travel to the United States for a coaching and training programme. Participants at the event extended their good wishes to the player and urged the government to take immediate steps to improve sports facilities in the province.

Shoaib’s title has been presented by officials at the ceremony as a significant breakthrough for Pakistani tennis, ending a long gap in ITF International success and drawing attention to both the promise of emerging players and the challenges they continue to face.