Pakistan’s medal hopes remain elusive as the nation’s top shooters missed their marks on Thursday at the Asian Shooting Championships being held in Kazakhstan.

Last year, the Green Team had made history, with Kishmala Talat becoming the first Pakistani woman to qualify directly for the Paris 2024 Olympics by bagging a silver medal at the Women’s 10m Air Pistol event. She had also picked up a bronze in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event with compatriot Gulfam Joseph.

Pakistan’s experience at the championships so far has been considerably more humbling.

In Thursday’s Men’s 10m Air Rifle, Sulaiman Khan finished 37th out of 48 competitors, scoring an aggregate 618.0, with scores of 102.6, 103.4, 101.9, 102.6, 103.1, 104.4. Islam Satpayev of the host nation won gold with a score of 250.1, followed by China’s Dingke Lu with 249.8 and South Korea’s Hajun Park with 228.7.

Two-time Olympian Gulfam had earlier opened Pakistan’s run at the championships in his signature event on Monday, the Men’s 10m Air Pistol, finishing 18th with a 577—22x.

Compatriot Shahzaib Ahmed finished 34th in the same event with a 569—13x.

But Pakistan’s main medal hopes rested with Kishmala, who narrowly missed the final of the Women’s 10m Air Pistol after finishing 11th in the qualifying round on Tuesday. She scored 95, 96, 97, 97, 97, 94 in the series to finish with a 576—20x.

Kishmala Talat finished 11th in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol with a score of 576—20x.
Kishmala Talat finished 11th in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol with a score of 576—20x.

Pakistan fielded three marksman for the Men’s Skeet event, with Imam Haroon finishing 36th with a score of 108, Shameil Khan finishing at 40th place with a 106, and Zahid Tufail with a 101 to finish 44th.

In the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event, Kishmala and Gulfam finished 14th with a score of 573—19x, while Rasam Gul and Shahzaib finished 19th with 565—12x.

Opinion

Editorial

Missing in action
17 Mar, 2026

Missing in action

NOT exactly known for playing a proactive role in protecting the interests of Muslim nations and populations...
Risk to stability
Updated 17 Mar, 2026

Risk to stability

THE risks to Pakistan’s fragile economic recovery from the US-Israel war on Iran cannot be dismissed. Yet the...
Enrolment push
17 Mar, 2026

Enrolment push

THE federal government has embarked upon the welcome initiative to enrol 25,000 out-of-school children in Islamabad...
Holding the line
16 Mar, 2026

Holding the line

PAKISTAN’S long battle against polio has recently produced encouraging signs. Data from the national eradication...
Power self-reliance
Updated 16 Mar, 2026

Power self-reliance

PAKISTAN’S transition to domestic sources of electricity is a welcome development for a country that has long been...
Looking for safety
16 Mar, 2026

Looking for safety

AS the Middle East conflict enters its third week, the war’s most enduring victims are not those who wage it....