KARACHI: The inefficient character of the Pakistan Sports Board has created a mess in the affairs of the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF) and the future of national weightlifters.  The way Pakistan Weightlifting Federation has victimized a national hero and gold medal winner at the Commonwealth Games Nooh Dastgir Butt is absolutely shameful and disgraceful. The PWLF General Secretary Nuzhat Jabeen addressed a letter to his employer WAPDA on 16th May 2023 alleging that Nooh Butt and his father Ghulam Dastgir are staunch supporters of the illegal interim committee working against the federation and supporting parallelism in the sport of weightlifting. According to sports enthusiasts, this attitude tells us why Pakistan is behind other countries in sports. These egoistic people at the helm of affairs have always destroyed the careers of superstars.

On the other hand, Nooh, denying the allegations, said that he wants to continue representing Pakistan in the future. Taking to Instagram, the Commonwealth Games gold medalist expressed reservations over his inclusion in the weightlifting event by the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF). I, unfortunately, won’t be able to participate in future weightlifting competitions — be it National Games (2023) or international competitions like Asian Games (2023) or Olympic Games (2024) — as I have been alleged to be a member of a parallel weightlifting interim committee by the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF). As a result, I won’t be given an opportunity or platform to participate in future competitions,” Butt said.

I will come out and state openly that I am not a part of any parallel weightlifting interim committee in both word and deed. I am only here for the weightlifting game, and I appeal to the Pakistani authorities and the public for their support, so that I can bring more medals and glory to Pakistan. Earlier, Ghulam Dastgir Butt, father of Nooh, had also stated that his son is not registered with the interim committee which has been formed by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to run the weightlifting affairs in the country. Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF) claims that my son Nooh Dastgir Butt is registered with the interim committee. It’s a false claim. I am father of weightlifters Nooh Dastgir Butt and Hanzala Dastgir Butt and we have never indulged in any kind of politics and have never been part of any parallel body,” Ghulam Dastgir said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, May, 30 2023

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