Rest in peace, Hashim Khan

A Pakistani hero

The praise and tributes showered upon Hashim Khan upon his demise the other day were proof enough of how he was larger than the game that made him, and his family, and his country, famous and proud. And his story is bigger than squash, or sport. It is a romantic narrative which tells about the victory of the spirit, of the self, over overwhelming odds. Coming from a very humble background – he learnt squash as a little ball-boy at the Peshawar club – he became the sport’s biggest name and greatest miracle. He had no formal training; just watching the British nobility play, and practicing bare-footed, sometimes trading his lunch for a game.

In time, after proving his credentials as champion, he would help his brothers achieve world domination. And then his son would rise above the competition like no other in history, rewriting record books, even after authorities changed the rules to force ‘the family’ out of ‘the business’. And alongside hockey and cricket, it was his effort basically that raised Pakistan’s profile to the top of the world of squash as well. Needless to say, it has been a long time since Pakistan could boast someone like Hashim Khan, or any of his protégés, and the country is poorer for it.

Sports are an essential part of a country’s outlook. It is said, with good reason, that a country’s profile can be judged by observing its performance in sports. When the US and USSR were the world’s two leading powers, their sportsmen out-performed the whole world at every Olympics, always competing for the top position. Russian sports domination faded with the fall of the iron curtain. But of late, one of the features of China’s rise on the international stage has been its sporting achievements. It regularly pokes at American domination at the event, its sporting achievements mirroring its overall growth.

In Pakistan, unfortunately, we have developed a habit of taking our sporting heroes for granted. It is little surprise, then, that we have very few left of them. Even Hashim’s passing, despite his services to the country, was observed with far more grace and honour abroad than at home. We should cherish our assets, invest in them, develop them, so they can continue the process and the country can benefit. Hashim’s legacy should be protected, and perfected.