President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday presented a Rs100 million cheque to Karate champion Shahzaib Rindh at Aiwan-e-Sadr for winning a global competition.

Last month, the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter made history when he won the Karate Combat Championship (KC-49) in Singapore, becoming the first-ever world champion from Pakistan.

He defeated Brazil’s Bruno Roberto De Assis in the final, according to Karate Combat, which describes itself as the “world’s premier full contact striking league”.

Commenting on his win, the 26-year-old from Balochistan said it was a “dream come true” in a post on X with a photo of him and the championship belt.

Days later, Rindh was warmly received at the Quetta airport by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, provincial officials and a huge number of fans.

On Wednesday, the president congratulated the 26-year-old on his recent victory in Singapore and praised him for elevating Pakistan’s name in Karate, according to a post on X by the president’s party PPP.

CM Bugti was also present on the occasion.

“There is immense talent among the youth of Pakistan, there is a need to give opportunities,” the president said.

“It is important to encourage the youth in the field of sports,” he went on to say, adding that he hoped Rindh would continue to achieve more success for Pakistan in the future.