PSB Honors Medal-Winning Athletes and Coaches with Rewards

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has allocated Rs30.83 million to athletes and their respective coaches during the fiscal year 2024-25, adhering to the guidelines outlined in the National Sports Policy.

These accolades were presented to 29 athletes and their trainers in recognition of their exceptional performances and for bringing recognition to Pakistan in various global competitions.

The monetary distributions occurred at intervals between November 2024 and May 2025.

Haider Ali, a bronze medalist at the Paris Paralympics, was awarded Rs5 million. Similarly, Noor Zaman received Rs5 million for his triumph in the Under-23 World Squash Championship.

Other notable recipients included Muhammad Asif, who received Rs2,500,000 for securing the IBSF World Snooker Championship. Footballer Muhammad Riaz was granted Rs2,500,000 in special funds, directed by the Prime Minister, after videos showing him selling jalebis gained traction on social media.

The junior squash team, which earned a bronze medal at the Asian Junior Squash Championship, had each of its four members—Abdullah Nawaz, Anas Shah, Sakhiullah Tareen, and Nouman Khan—awarded Rs375,000.

The coaching personnel, including head coach Faheem Gul and assistant coach Faraz Muhammad, received Rs125,000 for their contribution to this achievement.

The same coaches were given supplementary payments of Rs833,000 each for mentoring Zaman to his U23 world championship victory.

In taekwondo, a dozen medalists at the Asian Open Championship were given awards ranging from Rs500,000 to Rs2 million, with the coaching staff also receiving a portion of the prize money. Haroon Khan was the top recipient with Rs2 million, while seven of his teammates were awarded Rs1 million each. The coaching staff, featuring head coach Yousaf Karami and his assistants, collectively shared Rs1 million in acknowledgment of their guidance.

PSB Director General Yasir Pirzada stated the structured approach to these awards. “Our distributions are in line with the National Sports Policy’s structured reward framework, which considers the competition level and importance of the achievement,” he clarified.

Looking forward, the DG PSB affirmed intentions to allocate an additional Rs10 million in the coming weeks, before the current fiscal year concludes, to other athletes who have brought honor to the nation, including javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and Special Olympics medalists.