QUETTA: Shahzaib Rind, who just won a global karate league, was greeted with cheers on Tuesday when he returned to his home province of Balochistan.
Mr. Rind was greeted at the airport by Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, province authorities, and a sizable crowd of supporters following his victory at the Karate Combat Championship.
Mr. Rind defeated all six opponents to win the “Karate Combat World Lightweight Championship.”
Upon his arrival, the athlete was escorted to the Chief Minister’s residence, where CM Bugti offered his congratulations for the achievement and reassured him of the government’s unwavering backing.
Mr. Rind was commended for his “impressive achievements” by Provincial Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar, CM’s Advisor on Sports and Youth Affairs Meena Majeed, and other individuals.
Mr. Rind conveyed in his statement his happiness with the greeting following the “disappointment” of a cold reception in Islamabad.
In his most recent bout, he remembered taking on one of the hardest opponents, but he claimed that “determination” was the reason he was able to prevail. He recounted how his karate career began in a small club and said that his goal is to provide young people greater possibilities.
Rana Mashood, the chairman of the Prime Minister Youth Program, has referred to Mr. Rind as a “national hero” and said that the country is proud of his accomplishment.
He stated that Mr. Rind was a hero similar to Olympic medallist Arshad Nadeem at a ceremony at the Balochistan University of Information Technology Engineering and Management Sciences. The prime minister will extend an invitation to him upon his return to Pakistan from the US.
