President Zardari awards Rs100m to karate champion Shahzaib Rindh

Published October 9, 2024
President Asif Ali Zardari presents a cheque to Mixed Martial Arts fighter Shahzaib Rindh at Aiwan-i-Sadr on October 9. — PPP
President Asif Ali Zardari presents a cheque to Mixed Martial Arts fighter Shahzaib Rindh at Aiwan-i-Sadr on October 9. — PPP

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.

Opinion

Editorial

Not cricket
06 Apr, 2025

Not cricket

IT is getting embarrassing for the Pakistan cricket team, and for the sport as a whole in the country — the lack ...
Balochistan deadlock
06 Apr, 2025

Balochistan deadlock

THE state’s efforts to stifle political activity in Balochistan are unlikely to improve the situation, and instead...
Escalating brutality
06 Apr, 2025

Escalating brutality

ISRAEL’S war against Gaza is not a campaign against Hamas — it is a war against a people. The latest ground...
Electricity relief
Updated 05 Apr, 2025

Electricity relief

If govt ensures that requisite power reforms are implemented, it will earn much praise for reforming a vital segment of the economy.
Trump’s trade wars
Updated 05 Apr, 2025

Trump’s trade wars

Shoddy math applied by US to indiscriminately penalise its trading partners signals the end of an era of global trade liberalisation.
Legalised land grab
Updated 05 Apr, 2025

Legalised land grab

The Modi government from its inception has been attacking India’s minorities, the largest such community in its crosshairs being the Muslims.