Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with MMA fighter Shahzaib Rind’s father (left). — X/@GovtofPakistanPM Shehbaz honours long-delayed dedication.Atta Tarar apologises over delay in fighter’s reward.President, CM Bugti, praised for constant help.
ISLAMABAD, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met Khair Muhammad, the daddy of blended martial arts champion Shahzaib Rind, and handed him a cheque of Rs5 million, fulfilling a long-delayed promise made to the athlete.
Through the assembly held in Islamabad, the prime minister conveyed his greatest needs for Rind’s upcoming fights and appreciated the fighter’s achievements on the worldwide stage.
The gesture got here days after Shahzaib publicly criticised the federal authorities over unfulfilled commitments made to him following his worldwide victories.
In a now deleted submit shared on X (previously Twitter), Rind revealed that he was promised Rs5 million in money and Rs80 million for coaching help after a significant win — guarantees he stated had been by no means honoured. Regardless of repeated efforts to contact the PM’s staff over the past 1.5 years, he stated he obtained no response.
Shahzaib Rind’s now deleted submit on social media platform X. — X/@RindhShahzaib
Nonetheless, he acknowledged continued help from people like Sarfaraz Bugti, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, and DHA Quetta, who he stated stood by him all through his journey.
Responding to the controversy, Federal Minister for Data Attaullah Tarar issued an official apology on Saturday, acknowledging a miscommunication and calling the delay unjustified.
“Sportsmen like you are our real heroes,” Tarar wrote on X (previously Twitter), assuring the prime minister had taken severe discover and instructed fast decision, including 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 from Balochistan, made historical past by profitable the Karate Fight KC-49 Gentle Heavyweight Championship in Singapore in 2024, defeating Brazil’s Luiz Victor Rocha.
He remained unbeaten all through the event and have become the primary Pakistani to win a significant world martial arts title.
Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Balochistan CM Sarfraz Bugti had awarded Shahzaib Rs100 million and praised him for bringing honour to the nation.
