KARACHI, 21 April 2006 — Carla Khan, the grand daughter of Pakistani squash legend Azam Khan has promised to carry on the legacy of the great Khans by becoming a world champion in two years provided she gets the necessary support from what she describes as the country’s “indifferent” squash authorities.
In an interview to Arab News, Carla said she had a lot of self-belief, talent and hunger to win, which could be translated into glory at the highest level. “I believe I can follow in the footsteps of my ancestors and become a world No. 1 for Pakistan,” said Carla, whose grandfather Azam Khan was a four-time British Open champion.
Carla, a former national champion, is the only descendant of two of the greatest Khans — Azam and his elder brother Hashim — who is actively playing squash and says that succeeding in squash is in her “blood.” But inspite of playing squash for the last 12 years, the 24-year-old Carla has been unable to break through the top 10 world rankings, a failure which she blames on lack of support from the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF).
“When I decided to play for Pakistan six years back I was promised all out support by the PSF. But sadly that was just a bundle of lies,” lamented Carla who has slipped in the rankings and is currently placed at No.
37 following a six-month hiatus from the professional circuit because of illness.
Carla said she expects Pakistani sports authorities to back her considering the fact that she is “the country’s most accomplished sportswoman.” “Pakistan is a country with great sports heritage and a person like me can add to it.
All I need is support,” she stated.
As a colt, Carla represented the country of her birth — England — but switched her allegiance to Pakistan in 1999. She has since been playing for the country of her ancestors and has won several international events including the POF Wah Open — Pakistan’s first-ever international women’s squash event — held in Wah last year.
Carla said that her parents have brought her to this level but now in her bid to become the world No. 1 she needs to play in maximum number of international events, have a full-time coach and should get world-class training facilities. “All of this needs substantial funds,” she said. Carla said in her career she has beaten several top players including the reigning world No. 1 Nicol David of Malaysia and with proper training she can achieve it again.
Having recovered from her illness, Carla is planning to make a comeback with the Qatar Airways Challenge in the South Indian city of Hyderabad in July. “I’m feeling better and would try to come back with a bang.” Carla says she would love to represent Pakistan in two regional events — the South Asian Games and the Asian Games — to be held this year. “But I’m yet to be asked by the PSF about these events,” she said.
Carla took a swipe at the PSF for its indifferent approach toward the promotion of squash. “It surprises me how squash is being run in Pakistan,” she said. “I’m the best-ranked female player ever to represent Pakistan but the PSF people don’t even care whether I’m playing or not. They never even invite me to come and play here and each time I’ve competed in any event in Pakistan it was when my mother read about some tournament to be held here through Internet reports.”
