The Government of Pakistan has distributed over Rs 9 crore in cash prizes and grants to honor the country’s athletes and sports federations. The awards were presented at a prestigious ceremony held by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) in recognition of outstanding performances by national athletes who represented Pakistan on international platforms.
A total of Rs 8.2 million in cash prizes were awarded to 36 athletes, while 22 sports federations received Rs 63.9 million in grants. The event was attended by Prime Minister’s Advisor on Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah Khan, Federal Secretary Mohiuddin Wani, and PSB Director General Muhammad Yasir Pirzada, who appreciated the athletes’ efforts in raising Pakistan’s flag high in global arenas.
Top awardees included javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, who received Rs 2 million for winning a gold medal, and his coach Salman Iqbal Butt, who was awarded Rs 600,000. Snooker champions Ahsan Ramzan and Muhammad Asif received Rs 500,000 each for their international medals. Muhammad Naseem Akhtar was given Rs 100,000 for his bronze medal performance.
Young athletes also received recognition. For example, Abdul Mohammad Khan and teammates from the U-15 and U-19 badminton teams received cash prizes ranging from Rs 75,000 to Rs 250,000 each. Their efforts in international youth tournaments were highlighted as signs of Pakistan’s emerging sports talent.
In the second part of the event, financial grants were awarded to multiple sports federations to support ongoing and future training. The Athletics Federation of Pakistan received a special Rs 10 million grant, while other major beneficiaries included Kabaddi, Swimming, Wrestling, Volleyball, Judo, Karate, Table Tennis, and Tennis Federations—each receiving annual or special grants between Rs 1 million to Rs 5 million.
In total, Rs 32.9 million was given as annual grants, while Rs 31 million was released as special grants. These efforts reflect the government’s aim to promote sports culture, support athlete development, and strengthen the infrastructure needed to produce future champions.