PESHAWAR: Hamza Khan, who recently won the World Junior Squash Championship trophy for Pakistan, returned to a hero’s welcome in Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan last week, and said his eyes were now set on winning the world championship.
Getting here was a long and painstaking struggle for the 17-year-old athlete — but also for Pakistan, which won the prestigious trophy after 37 years.
Khan hails from Nawa Kali, a village on the outskirts of Peshawar that has produced seven world squash champions: Hasham Khan, Roshan Khan, Azam Khan, Muhib Ullah, Jahangir Khan, Qamar Zaman and Jansher Khan.
Khan’s passion for squash, he told Arab News in an interview from his hometown, comes from belonging to Nawa Kali but also runs in his family. His maternal uncle, Shahid Zaman Khan, was the former world number 14.
Khan began playing the game at the age of 8. Nine years later, at the World Junior Squash Championship final in Melbourne on July 23, Khan defeated Egypt’s Mohamed Zakaria to help Pakistan reclaim the title after almost four decades.
“There have been seven [world] champions in Nawa Kali and I wish to be the 8th one,” Khan said. “I have won the junior [championship]. Now my focus is on the senior [championship] and I will win the title for Pakistan.”
The journey was not easy.
Khan’s father Niazullah Khan, who works as an air traffic controller, initially coached him for a year before taking him to the Hashim Khan Squash Complex in Peshawar, where he trained under the supervision of professional coaches. The youngster later went on to train at the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) facility in Islamabad.
“I worked hard for the [junior] tournament,” he said. “I woke up at 3 am and trained because I had the sole mission of winning the title for Pakistan.”
Niazullah said his son began by playing squash against the walls of their home as a child. Niazullah then borrowed money to purchase squash rackets and other equipment for Khan, which would often leave him with little money to run his household, which comprised his wife and three other children besides Khan.
“I was compelled to take him to the squash court,” the father said. “There used to be 400–500 children [waiting for their turn to practice the game]. The rackets, shoes and balls are too expensive and a poor person can’t afford them.”
But it all paid off last month when Khan lifted the trophy for Pakistan.
“I couldn’t believe when it was the last point, because it was a 37-year gap, which should not have been, but with the help of God, I succeeded in my mission,” Khan said.
Aside from the latest tournament, Khan has won 12 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals in international squash events, according to his father.
Qadir Khan, 31, a resident of Khan’s village, said the entire village was proud of Khan’s success.
“I have met and seen many squash legends in my village and the addition of Hamza motivates others,” Qadir said, adding he was planning to send his four-year-old son to the squash court soon.
Jansher Khan, a former professional Pakistani squash player from Nawa Kali who won the World Open eight times, the British Open six times, and was the last Pakistani to win the World Junior Squash Championship, said he could not “express my happiness” at Khan’s success.
“I am very happy to see Hamza Khan bringing the title back to Pakistan, it has been 37 long years to wait,” the retired player said.
“I have seen Hamza playing squash court,” Jansher added.
“He is very talented and by winning the junior championship, more responsibility has fallen on his shoulders.”
