More Than Medals: Pakistan’s Sporting Crisis/AK Haq

Pakistan’s sporting decline is often measured by the absence of international trophies, shrinking medal tallies and fading prestige on the global stage. Yet the country’s most serious sporting crisis lies much closer to home. It is not merely that Pakistan is no longer producing enough champions; it is that millions of young Pakistanis are no longer participating in organised sports at all. This erosion of grassroots participation threatens not only the future of competitive sport but also public health, youth development and social cohesion.

The latest Gallup Pakistan survey offers compelling evidence of this worrying trend. According to the survey, 67 per cent of Pakistanis did not play a single sport during the past year. Among the minority who remained physically active, cricket overwhelmingly dominated participation, with 16 per cent reporting that they played the game. Volleyball attracted only five per cent, football four per cent, badminton two per cent, hockey just one per cent and tennis less than one per cent. These figures reveal far more than changing sporting preferences. They point to a society in which organised physical activity has become the exception rather than the norm, particularly at a time when sedentary lifestyles are becoming increasingly common.

The irony is striking. Countries with youthful populations typically enjoy vibrant sporting cultures because children and young adults naturally gravitate towards games, competition and recreation when opportunities exist. Pakistan possesses one of the world’s largest youth populations, yet it has failed to translate this demographic advantage into widespread sporting participation. Instead of nurturing an active generation, the country has allowed sporting opportunities to diminish through years of institutional neglect, inadequate planning and declining public investment.

Educational institutions once served as the foundation of Pakistan’s sporting ecosystem. Schools and colleges regularly organised inter-school competitions, while universities provided pathways for talented athletes to progress to provincial and national levels. Much of that ecosystem has now deteriorated. Many private schools, particularly in urban centres, operate from small commercial buildings with little or no space for playgrounds, prioritising enrolment capacity over holistic education. Public schools and colleges have fared little better, with inadequate maintenance of sports grounds, limited equipment and declining emphasis on extracurricular activities. As organised school sports have weakened, fewer children are being introduced to structured athletic competition at an early age.

This neglect stands in stark contrast to countries where sports form an integral part of the education system. Across many successful sporting nations, schools identify talented athletes early, provide coaching and facilities, and connect students with scholarship opportunities and professional development programmes. Pakistan once maintained a meaningful sports quota in educational institutions and public-sector employment, but these avenues have gradually lost significance. Proposals to make playgrounds and sporting facilities mandatory in schools deserve serious consideration, yet infrastructure requirements alone will not revive sports unless they are accompanied by trained coaches, regular competitions and sustained institutional commitment.

The consequences of this long-term neglect are increasingly evident across disciplines that once brought Pakistan international recognition. Hockey, the country’s national sport and once a source of immense pride, is now played by only one per cent of survey respondents. Squash, a discipline in which Pakistan produced legendary world champions for decades, has almost disappeared from mainstream public attention. Similar declines are visible in athletics, wrestling and several other Olympic sports, reflecting the gradual erosion of systems that once nurtured talent.

Pakistan certainly does not lack gifted athletes. Cricket continues to produce players capable of competing at the highest level, boxing periodically uncovers promising talent and Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem has demonstrated how exceptional determination can overcome extraordinary obstacles. His achievements have inspired millions, but they also highlight an uncomfortable reality: success in Pakistan often depends more on individual perseverance than on institutional support. For every athlete who breaks through despite the odds, countless others never receive access to quality coaching, modern facilities, competitive exposure or financial assistance needed to fulfil their potential.

Equally troubling is the country’s tendency to celebrate athletes only during moments of international success before allowing them to fade from public attention. Sustained investment in sports remains rare, while administrative instability, poor governance and inconsistent funding continue to undermine national sporting federations. Without long-term planning, even exceptional individual achievements struggle to produce lasting improvements in the broader sporting ecosystem.

Pakistan urgently requires a comprehensive national sports policy that treats sport as a public investment rather than an occasional source of national pride. Such a strategy should strengthen physical education in schools, modernise sporting infrastructure, expand community playgrounds, professionalise coaching, improve governance of sports federations and establish clear pathways from school competitions to elite performance. Financial support, scholarships and sponsorship opportunities should extend beyond cricket to ensure talented athletes in every discipline have a realistic opportunity to compete internationally.

The benefits of such reforms would extend well beyond sporting success. Greater participation in sports would improve public health, reduce childhood obesity, strengthen teamwork and discipline, foster community engagement and provide young people with constructive outlets for their energy and ambition. At a time when concerns about excessive screen time, social isolation and declining physical activity dominate public debate, organised sport offers one of the most effective means of promoting healthier lifestyles and stronger communities.

Much is often said about Generation Z’s dependence on smartphones and shrinking attention spans. Yet it is unrealistic to expect young people to abandon digital entertainment when society offers so few attractive alternatives. Recreational spaces have shrunk, neighbourhood playgrounds have disappeared in many urban areas and organised sports remain inaccessible to large segments of the population. Allowing an entire generation to grow up without meaningful access to organised sports would squander not only Pakistan’s athletic potential but also a valuable opportunity to build a healthier, more confident and socially connected society.