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Sport in Pakistan is a significant part ofPakistani culture.Cricket is the most popular sport inPakistan.[1]Football has also gained popularity in recent years, and is the second most popular sport in the country.[2][3]Field hockey is thenational sport, and was popular for several decades, with some of Pakistan's greatest sporting accomplishments having taken place in this sport, along withsquash.[4]Polo andtraditional sports likekabaddi and other well-known games are also played.[1]
In cricket, the country has had an array of success over the years, and has the distinct achievement of having won each of the majorICC international cricket tournaments:ICC Cricket World Cup,ICC World Twenty20, andICC Champions Trophy;[5] as well as theICC Test Championship.[6] ThePakistan Super League ranks among the topT20 leagues globally.[7]
Football in Pakistan is as old as the country itself. Shortly after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the Pakistan Football Federation was created, and the nation's founderMuhammad Ali Jinnah became its first Patron-in-Chief.[8] The highest football division in the country is thePakistan Premier League. Pakistan is known as one of the best manufacturers of the officialFIFA World Cup ball.[9][10]
In field hockey, Pakistan is one of the most successful national teams with a record fourHockey World Cup wins, eightAsian Games gold medals, three gold medals in theOlympic Games, and the only Asian team to have won the prestigiousChampions Trophy, with three championships.[1][11][12]
Pakistan'sJahangir Khan is widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time, followed by his compatriotJansher Khan.[13][14][15][16] From 1981 to 1986, Jahangir was unbeaten and during that time won 555 consecutive matches – the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sport, as recorded byGuinness World Records.[17][18]
InNorthern Pakistan, the annualShandur Polo Festival atShandur Top is an international event attended by enthusiasts from all over the world.[19] The Shandur polo ground atShandur Pass is the world's highest, at approximately 3,734 metres (12,251 ft).[20]
ThePakistan Sports Board was established in 1962 as a corporate body to promote and develop uniform standards of competition in sports in Pakistan, and regulating and controlling sports in Pakistan on a national basis. The Pakistan Sports Board is supported by the Pakistan Sports Trust, which assists hard-up players and associations so they can continue participating in sports in theOlympic Games,Asian Games,World Games, andCommonwealth Games.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, had a great love for the sport and fully realized the vital role it played in the development of nations and the inculcation of discipline among the masses. In a meeting with the Organizing Committee of the First Pakistan Olympic Games held atKarachi, Jinnah told the first President of thePakistan Olympic Association, Ahmed E.H.:
Dedicate yourself to sports promotion, for when you and I are gone, leadership will go into the hands of Youth, and Youth is our wealth, a raw material, that must be hammered into shape, into burnished steel to strive and smite in defense – the defense of the integrity and solidarity of Pakistan – the defense of the ideology of Pakistan.
The first National Games were held at Polo Ground,Karachi from 23 to 25 April 1948. Sportsmen and officials fromEast Pakistan (nowBangladesh) and all the integrated Provincial units ofWest Pakistan took part in these games. The total number of athletes was 140. No competitors were, however, invited from any foreign country. Competitions were held inbasketball,boxing,cycling,track and field,volleyball,weightlifting, andwrestling.
Pakistan's sporting prowess has declined sharply in recent years, while cricket remains widely popular, other sports have suffered due to neglect from both the government and sporting authorities.[21][22][23][24][25] The corporatization of sports in Pakistan has led to a lack of investment in nurturing talented athletes and providing adequate facilities and training.[26] Government patronage and funding for sports are at an all-time low, resulting in outdated equipment, obsolete training methods, and dilapidated sports infrastructure.[27] The focus on cricket has overshadowed other sports, exacerbating the decline across various disciplines.[28][29]
Since independence, Pakistan's sports system has developed along multiple overlapping models rather than a single club-based pyramid. The most distinctive of these has been the departmental model, where state-owned enterprises, government ministries, and the armed forces employ athletes as staff and field teams in domestic competition. This approach, inherited from colonial-eraworks teams, became dominant from the 1960s to the 1990s across cricket, football, hockey, and athletics, providing stable employment for players through institutions such asPakistan International Airlines,WAPDA, and the armed services.[30][31][32]
Alongside departments, federations have periodically promoted regional and provincial teams, representing administrative units such as Punjab, Sindh or Karachi, particularly in theNational Games and domestic cricket. Community clubs and academies have remained central at the grassroots, especially in football hotbeds such asLyari in Karachi, but have historically lacked resources compared to departmental employers.[31][33][34][35][36]
Since the 2010s, a fourth model has emerged with franchise-based leagues, most notably thePakistan Super League in cricket orSuper Kabaddi League, which operate on commercial contracts and media rights.[37] The coexistence of departments, regions, clubs, and franchises has produced a hybrid and sometimes unstable sporting landscape, with policy shifts periodically reshaping the balance among these models.[38]
Cricket is the most popular sport in Pakistan. Pakistan has won international cricket events, which include the1992 Cricket World Cup, the2009 ICC World Twenty20 and the2017 ICC Champions Trophy besides finishing as runner-up in the1999 Cricket World Cup,2007 ICC World Twenty20 and the2022 T20 World Cup. Pakistan also won the ACC Asia Cup in2000 and2012 and all three versions of theAustral-Asia Cup.
Pakistan's cricket teams take part in domestic competitions such as theQuaid-e-Azam Trophy, thePatron's Trophy, ABN-AMROTwenty-20 Cup, and the ABN-AMRO Champions Trophy.Pakistan Cricket Board also organize a franchise basedT20 cricket league known as thePakistan Super League.
On March 3, 2009, 12 militants withguns,grenades, androcket launchers attacked abus carrying theSri Lanka national cricket team to a match atLahore'sGaddafi Stadium in Pakistan. Six Pakistanipolicemen escorting the team and twocivilians were killed while seven Sri Lankan players and an assistantcoach were injured. Since theterrorist attacks, no foreign cricket teams toured Pakistan until 2015 when Zimbabwe toured for an away series. A month after the attack on the Sri Lankan team, theInternational Cricket Council relieved Pakistan of co-hosting duty for any2011 Cricket World Cup games. Pakistan has tried to make the best of the situation by offering to host its "home" matches onneutral territory in theUnited Arab Emirates.[39] However, due to a decrease in terrorism in Pakistan over the past few years, as well as an increase in security, many teams have toured Pakistan since 2015.[40] These teams includeZimbabwe,Sri Lanka,West Indies,Bangladesh,South Africa,Australia and anICC World XI team. In addition, thePakistan Super League has seen games hosted in Pakistan.[41][42][43][44][45]
InternationalTest and one-day matches are played between thePakistan national cricket team and foreign opponents regularly.Women's cricket is also very popular, withKiran Baluch holding the current record for the highest score in a women's test match with her innings of 242. ThePakistan Cricket Board controls both the men's and women's games. The2020 Pakistan Super League events was hosted entirely by Pakistan.[46]
Notable cricketers from Pakistan includeAaqib Javed,Ramiz Raja,Babar Azam,Shoaib Akhtar,Younis Khan,Saqlain Mushtaq,Mushtaq Ahmed,Abdul Qadir,Wasim Akram,Zaheer Abbas,Javed Miandad,Saeed Anwar,Muhammad Yousaf,Inzamam-ul-Haq,Waqar Younis,Shahid Afridi, the Mohammad brothers (Hanif,Mushtaq,Sadiq andWazir) andImran Khan. Imran Khan has been named in theICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Saeed Anwar's 194 runs againstIndia remained the record for most runs by a batsman in an ODI for 11 years which was broken byFakhar Zaman's 210 againstZimbabwe in 2018. Shoaib Akhtar holds the record of delivering the fastest delivery in the history of cricket. Shahid Afridi holds numerous records i.e. the 3rd fastest century in ODIs, and the highest number of sixes in international cricket. Wasim Akram at the time of his retirement had taken the most wickets in ODIs. Muhammad Yousuf has scored the most Test runs in a calendar year.
ThePakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is the national governing body of field hockey in Pakistan. The Pakistan Hockey Federation Women Wing (PHFWW) is the official organization ofwomen's field hockey in Pakistan.
ThePakistan national field hockey team has won 3 gold medals at theOlympic Games, and lifted theHockey World Cup 4 times, being the country with most World Cups till the present. It has also won the mostAsian gold medals and is the only Asian team to have won the prestigiousChampions Trophy with 3 titles. It used to be consistently ranked among the top teams in the world. However, lately, there has been a decline in results, with the national team failing to qualify for both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. The hockey team also failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup.[47] Also, because of the PHF's poor economy, there were two years without any international matches between 2019 and 2021. PHF secretary lamented over lack of funding could even ban Pakistan hockey team.[48] As of December 2022 the team is ranked 16th in the world.[49] Notable players include World-Record holderWaseem Ahmad,Mohammed Saqlain, andSohail Abbas.
In May 2024, Pakistan qualified for the final of the 30th Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey 30th Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup 2024 trophy 2024 trophy in Ipoh, Malaysia.[50]
TheNational Hockey Championship is the main domestic field hockey competition of Pakistan since 1948.
Pakistan is known as the manufacturer of the officialFIFA World Cup ball. ThePakistan Football Federation (PFF) is the governing body in Pakistan.
The origin of football in Pakistan can be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century when the game was introduced during theBritish Raj.[51] Shortly after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, thePakistan Football Federation was created, andMuhammad Ali Jinnah became its first Patron-in-Chief.[52]
From 1948 to 2003, theNational Football Championship was held in Pakistan. After 2003, it was replaced by thePakistan Premier League. However, due to the lack of professional football clubs, football was mainly held on amateur basis. As the global popularity of football surged, the sport’s standing in Pakistan deteriorated. Some of the reasons for this decline was the administration’s lack of attention to football and thedepartmental system running in Pakistan, which was abolished in other countries after the 1960s.[53] However Lahore basedWohaib FC emerged as a leading club of the country in the early 1990s and became the first Pakistani club to pass the qualifying round of theAsian Club Championship, doing so in the1992–93 edition.[54] The Pakistan Football Federation also faced several bans byFIFA during the years.[53] Nonetheless, the sport gained popularity in the 21st century.[2][3][53] ThePakistan National Football Challenge Cup is the national"knockout" cup competition in Pakistani football, run by the Pakistan Football Federation. ThePakistan National Women's Football Championship is the annual women's championship.
Futsal is a growing sport inPakistan.[55][56][57][58] In 2023, the Pakistan Football Federation launched the National Futsal Cup, the first nationwide futsal competition organised under its authority. The event was structured as a five-phase regional circuit, with separate tournaments for men and women held inLahore,Quetta,Islamabad,Peshawar, andKarachi.[59][60] ThePakistan national futsal team was formed in 2025 when Pakistan participated in the2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers for the first time.[61][62][63]
ThePakistan national ball hockey team is primarily composed ofCanadian Pakistanis, born in Canada or with links to that nation. The sport is growing in the South Asian community there. Pakistan competed for the first time at the World Championships in2009. They finished 3rd out of 4 in Group B behind only Bermuda and ice hockey giants Finland, and ahead of Cayman Islands. In the next world championships, they also participated and were champions of their group after defeating France in extra time. ThePakistan national ball hockey team is developing and improving, and in 2013 were awarded Pool A status, competing for gold inSt. John's, Newfoundland.
Pakistan Federation Baseball has hosted theAsian Baseball Cup several times,[64] withthe national team also winning the tournament in several editions.[65][66] The team won the firstSAARC Baseball Championship in 2011.[67] The team qualified for theWorld Baseball Classicqualifier round for the first time where they lost 0–10 againstBrazil and 0–14 while competing againstGreat Britain in2016.[68]
Basketball was introduced to Pakistan around 1900 and is especially popular inLahore andKarachi. ThePakistan Basketball Federation has been part ofFIBA since 1958. Six teams play in the Pakistan first division. The National Women's Basketball Championship is the Women's Basketball tournament.
Handball was first played in 1984 in an exhibition event, and was taken up by thePakistan Olympic Association. ThePakistan Handball Federation is a member of theAsia Handball Federation.
ThePakistan men's national handball team is one of the most successful handball team ofSouth Asia, winning 2 gold and 1 silver medal at theSouth Asian Games. Pakistan won gold in the 2010 and2019 edition of the South Asian Games beatingIndia by 37–31 and 30–29 respectively.[69][70] In the2016 edition, Pakistan unfortunately lost to the hosts India, score being 32–31.[71]
Inbeach handball, Pakistan has won theAsian Championship in 2007 andAsian Beach Games in2008. Pakistan national beach handball team made their debut inIHFWorld Championship at the2008 edition, finishing at 10th position. Pakistan have won a total of 8 official international medals to professional and grassroots level selections, with one gold and silver medal along with three bronze medals in theAsian Beach Games beach handball tournaments held inBali 2008,Muscat 2010,Haiyang 2012,Phuket 2014 andDanang 2016, respectively.
ThePakistan Rugby Union was formally established in 2000 and gained memberships with theAsian Rugby Football Union in 2000. In 2003, Pakistan fielded anational team for the first time, participating in the Provincial Tournament in Sri Lanka. In November 2004, it participated in the 19th Asian Championship in Hong Kong. The Pakistan Rugby Union then became an associate member of theInternational Rugby Board (IRB).
There are three major clubs in Pakistan, which includeIslamabad Rugby Football Club (IRFC) also known as the "JINNS",Lahore Rugby Football Club (LRFC), and Karachi Rugby Football Club (KRFC).
The latest landmark for Pakistan rugby is that universities like Lahore University of Management and Sciences (LUMS) and Bahria University Islamabad have formed teams as well.[72]
Volleyball enjoys huge popularity in small towns and villages across Pakistan, particularly in the northern province ofKhyber Pakhtunkhwa.[73][74] Most players of the Pakistani volleyball team hail from this region.[73]
The team is ranked within the top 50 volleyball nations byFIVB and has won twoCentral Asian titles, and a bronze medal at the1962 Asian Games.[75]Pakistan Volleyball Federation is the governing body of Volleyball in Pakistan.
Equestrianism had traditionally been limited to the upper-echelon of Pakistani society up until the end of the 20th century. This resulted in private sponsorship and government funding (PST) for the sport. Pakistan Eventing was launched in July 2005 in partnership with TheEquestrian & Tent Pegging Federation of Pakistan in an attempt to qualify Pakistan for its first Olympic equestrian qualification.
Polo is believed to have originated inPersia, and continues to be an important sport within the country with several large annual competitions.
The annualShandur Polo Festival is an international event attended by enthusiasts from all over the world.[19] TheShandur Polo Ground besidesShandur Pass is the world's highest, at approximately 3,734 metres (12,251 ft).[20] The governing body ofpolo in Pakistan is thePakistan Polo Association. There are more than twenty-one polo clubs in Pakistan[76] and over forty polo championships held all over the country every year.[77] Pakistan has qualified for the preliminary rounds of theWorld Polo Championship three times. Pakistan'sHissam Ali Haider is the highest cap played in the Asian circuit. He has played forCartier in the St. Moritz Snow Polo World Cup and theCommonwealth team in the Royal Salute Coronation Cup, both of which were won by his team.[78]
Tent pegging is a popular sport in Pakistan. It is also locally namedneza bazi.[79] TheEquestrian & Tent Pegging Federation of Pakistan, formed in 2014, is the highest governing body who organizes the sport in Pakistan. Various clubs across the country also organize an event as well. The sport is the major event of the National Horse & Cattle Show held atFortress Stadium Lahore. Pakistanis compete in various international events notably the World Cup which commenced in 2014.[80]
Malik Ata Muhammad Khan is one of the founders ofInternational Tent Pegging Federation to address the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI),[81] where he also served as Vice President.[82]
ThePakistan national badminton team represents Pakistan in internationalbadminton team competitions.[83][84] It is controlled by thePakistan Badminton Federation, the governing body for badminton inPakistan. The national team was established in 1953.
In1979, Pakistan participated in the World Championships organized by theWBF, which was a rival body of theBadminton World Federation that would later cease its operation on May 26, 1981, and merged with theInternational Badminton Federation (now known asBadminton World Federation or BWF). They won a bronze and a silver at the event, in men's team and men's singles.
Pakistan had only appeared in the international stage three times as they were eliminated in the group stage in the1993,1995 and1997 edition of theSudirman Cup.
The nation would make its first badminton debut in theOlympics when national playerMahoor Shahzad represented the country in the women's singles discipline.[85]
The team would later participate in the2022 Commonwealth Games mixed team event through a bipartite invitation.
Pakistan earned its first Olympic Badminton Qualification after receiving atripartite invitation for the2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Thus,Mahoor Shahzad became the first Pakistani badminton player to compete at the Olympic Games.
Squash is a popular sport that has a large following in Pakistan, with Pakistan dominating the sport for some time. TheWorld Open professional championship was inaugurated in 1976 and serves as the main competition today.
Jansher Khan won theWorld Open eight times, and theBritish Open six times. From 1990 until 1996, he remained unbeaten in 81 matches for consecutive six years. This longest-winning matches streak in Squash history was recorded byGuinness World Records.[86][87]Jahangir Khan won theWorld Open title six times, and theBritish Open title ten times (1982–1991), and is widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time,[14][13][15] and one of the greatest sportsmen in Pakistan history.[16][88] From 1981 to 1986, Khan was unbeaten and during that time won 555 consecutive matches[17] – the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sport as recorded byGuinness World Records.[18][89][90]
Combined they have won 14 world opens, making Pakistan the most decorated Squash nation in the world. Pakistani players have won the SquashWorld Open 17 times, andBritish Open 12 times, the highest by any nation.
Carla Khan,Noorena Shams two of Pakistan's most successful sportswomen, who represent Pakistan. ThePakistan Squash Federation is the governing body in the country. The Pakistan Open tournament is one of the premier events of the sport in the country. Every province of the country holds its own men's and women's championships. Some other notable players from Pakistan includeHashim Khan,Torsam Khan, Mobillah Khan, and Qamar Zaman.
ThePakistan Table Tennis Federation runs the sport in the country.Farjad Saif is the first player in Pakistan Table Tennis history to represent the country in the Olympics, participating in the1988 Seoul Games. He did exceedingly well eventually ending the Olympic games with a ranking of 25th in the world.[91] He also holds a record 13 national titles also being the only individual to win the title 7 times in a row.
ThePakistan women's national table tennis team in 1972, competed in the inauguralATTUAsian Table Tennis Championships held inBeijing,China.[92]
Tennis is a very popular sport and Pakistanis compete in various international events. ThePakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) organizes the game in the country.Khawaja Saeed Hai was the first Pakistani to reach aGrand Slam tournament, playing atWimbledon, theUS Open, and theFrench Open where he made it to the third round.Haroon Rahim was a very successful player, he was the winner of severalATP Singles and Doubles titles. Lately,Aisam-ul-Haq created history in Pakistani tennis, as he reached the finals of2010 US Open – Men's Doubles and2010 US Open – Mixed Doubles.
ThePakistan Davis Cup team have previously reached the world group play-offs, with the help ofAisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, currently Pakistan's number one, andAqeel Khan, the number two. Tennis events are very rare in Pakistan and there is hardly an international tennis event, apart from ATP tournaments.
ThePakistan Archery Federation is the governing body to develop and promote the game ofarchery in Pakistan. It is based inLahore, and was founded in 1996. It was admitted into theWorld Archery Federation in 2005.[93][94] Pakistan Archery Federation organizes National Archery Championship annually. Archery competitions are also a regular part of theNational Games.
Mohammad Omer Saleem, a graduate ofLUMS, has become Pakistan’s first-ever horseback archer. He is also the official representative of the World Horseback Archery Federation (WHAF) in Pakistan.Saleem represented Pakistan in the 16th World Horseback Archery Championship 2021 held in Tehran, Iran. He was placed at 18th in the Qabaq Track, 19th in the Kassai Track and 20th in the Korean Serial Track out of 45, including qualifiers. He broke the record for the highest score of any first-time participating country.[95]
TheAthletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) organises athletic tournaments inPakistan. Pakistani athletes compete in various athletic events. Many Pakistani athletes have excelled in various events including theOlympic Games, theAsian Games, theWorld Athletics Championships and theCommonwealth Games among others.[96]
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The 1950s and 1960s are often regarded as the Golden Age of Pakistani athletics, withAbdul Khaliq,Ghulam Raziq,Mubarak Shah,Muhammad Iqbal,Muhammad Nawaz,Jalal Khan,Allah Ditta andMuhammad Ramzan Ali achieving various milestones.[96] In the early decades, Pakistanis held many Asian records including the Asian 100 m and 200 m record held by Abdul Khaliq.[96] Other notable athletes includeMuhammad Youssef,Muhammad Ayub,Muhammad Younis,Mirza Khan,Ghulam Abbas,Nadir Khan,Aqarab Abbas,Muhammad Sharif Butt,Khwaja Muhammad Aslam, among others, who got prominence at either Asian or International levels, winning gold medals for Pakistan.[97] Pakistani female athletes have also represented Pakistan at the international level, such asShabana Akhtar, who was the first Pakistani female athlete to participate at the Olympics. International events such as theLahore Marathon take place in the country.
In recent times,Arshad Nadeem is the reigningOlympic champion in Men's javelin throw with anOlympic record throw of 92.97 metres (305.0 ft) at the2024 Summer Olympics.[98] He also wonPakistan's first everWorld Championships medal, a silver at the2023 World Athletics Championships. In2022, he created aCommonwealth Games record with a throw of90.18 m and became the first ever athlete fromSouth Asia to breach the 90m mark.[99]
Snooker is one of the rising sports in Pakistan, and it has been taken up by many people. There has been success at the international level;Muhammad Yousaf was the 1994IBSF World Snooker Champion and the 2006IBSF World Masters Champion.Shokat Ali is Pakistan's number one player and an Asian Games Gold medalist. He also won abronze medal at the2001 World Games.Ahsan Ramzan has set a new record for amateur snooker and became the 2nd youngest champion in the world after Chinese playerYan Bingtao atWorld Amateur Snooker Championships.[100][101][102] Herepresented Pakistan at the2022 World Games held in Birmingham, United States.[103][104][105]Muhammad Asif is a three-time winner of the amateur IBSF World Snooker Championship. He turned professional in 2022. ThePakistan Billiards Snooker Association (PBSA) was formed in 1958.
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Pakistan Tenpin Bowling Federation is affiliated with Asian Bowling Federation andWorld Bowling. The Federation is affiliated with Pakistan Sports Board.[106][107]
In Pakistan,chess is played throughout the country, mostly in the Mughal style which is slightly different from the international style, but theChess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) organizes its tournaments in the international style, and according to the established rules.[108] TheFIDE has awarded theInternational Master title to Shahzad Mirza[109] andMahmood Lodhi.[110]
ThePakistan Cycling Federation is the governing body ofcycling in Pakistan. TheTour de Pakistan International Cycling Race starts fromKarachi and ends inPeshawar, with about 150 domestic and international cyclists taking part every year. This race is among the largest of such events inAsia, covering a distance of 1,648 km in eleven stages with four days of rest en route.[111] Teams fromWAPDA,Pakistan Army,Pakistan Railways, andSui Southern Gas Company, along with teams of the four provinces regularly take part in domestic and international cycling tournaments. Women's cycling also takes place in the country. Other events are the Tour of Islamabad and the MTB Tour of the Himalayas.
Samar Khan is the first woman in the world to cycle on theBiafo Glacier and the first Pakistani to ride a bicycle on snow in Gilgit-Baltistan. She also cycled toKhunjerab Pass, the highest road in the world, and climbedMount Kilimanjaro with her bike to highlight climate change. As the founder of Samar Camp, she promotes adventure sports and women's empowerment in Pakistan. She is a TEDx speaker and climate activist, inspiring youth through her achievements in extreme cycling. Her work has earned her national recognition and admiration.[112][113] Other notable cyclists includeZenith Irfan,Wazir Ali,Arsalan Anjum Muhammad,Muhammad Ashiq,Muhammad Shafi,Muhammad Shah Rukh,Din Meraj,Muhammad Naqi Mallick,Awais khan,Muhammad Hafeez,Saleem Farooqi,Abdul Razzaq Baloch,Imtiaz Bhatti,Sidra Sadaf,Sabia Abbat,Lal Bakhsh andNoorena Shams.
Pakistan has qualified for theGolf World Cup a total of 4 times,[114] in 1975, 1977, 1982, and recently in 2009,[115] when they finished joint 22nd out of the 28 qualifying teams.[116] ThePakistan Golf Federation (PGF) rungolf in Pakistan.Karachi Golf Club is one of the oldest in the country and it is where the Pakistan Open takes place. ThePakistan Open was founded in 1967 and became anAsian Tour event in 2006.Chris Rodgers won the Pakistan Open in 2006. The 2007 event was held in January and had an increased prize money purse of $330,000 US.Taimur Hussain has been Pakistan's most successful golfer, as he won the 1998 Myanmar Open, becoming the first Pakistani to win on the Asian Tour.
Shooting in Pakistan governed byNational Rifle Association of Pakistan.Irshad Ali with one silver and two bronzes in theCommonwealth Games is one of the most successful shooters at international level.[117]Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, a three-time Olympian won the bronze medal back at the2022 International Shooting Sports Federation World Championships in Cairo, Egypt, and also earned direct qualification toParis 2024 Olympics.
Kishmala Talat wonPakistan's first Asian Games medal in shooting at the2022 Asian Games.[118][119] She wonsilver medal in Asian Rifle/ Pistol Championship 2024 Jakarta, Indonesia and became the first woman in the history of Pakistan to get direct berth to Olympics. In the same event with his teammateGulfam Joseph, she won bronze medal in mix team event.[120]
TheSki Federation of Pakistan, created in December 1990, runs the sport. Despite being a country with many mountains, the sport has never taken off until the late 1990s. Up until then, it was only done by thePakistan Army. Now there have been facilities put in place so that the sport can be played, and the Ski Federation of Pakistan now sends out teams to international tournaments.[121]
Muhammad Abbas represented Pakistan at2010 Winter Olympics whileMuhammad Karim represented Pakistan at the2014 Winter Olympics,2018 Winter Olympics and2022 Winter Olympics.Mir Nawaz won silver and bronze medals at the2011 South Asian Winter Games becoming Pakistan's first ever medalist at any South Asian Winter Games.[122]Amina Wali is aalpine skier and she remained national champion for 15 years.Ifrah Wali made history by becoming the first winner of the Giant Slalom event at any South Asian Winter Games when she won gold at theinaugural games held inIndia.[123]
TheMotorsport Association of Pakistan (MAP) is a member of the Federation Internationale de L'AutomobileFIA. The Pakistan National Karting Championship was the first motor racing circuit competition in Pakistan and is used to develop rookie drivers. The Freedom Rally is a yearly off-road race that takes place during the Independence celebrations.
Nur B. Ali was the first Pakistani Racing driver and Co-founded the MAP. He drives in theARCA RE/MAX Series and is a former two-time SouthwestFormula Mazda Regional Series champion. Ali was also the driver of theA1GP Team Pakistan in 2006. Syed Ovais Naqvi is the first local and homegrown professional Pakistani Racecar Driver and he is also the first Pakistani to acquire the International B Racing license, he also co-founded the MAP and is the General Secretary of the body. Ovais was also responsible for putting together the Pakistan National Karting Championship.Omer Younas is currently racing in the Formula BMW Pacific andAdnan Sarwar races inFormula Rolon. In 2005, theA1 Team Pakistan was run byAdam Langley-Khan, Khan remained the Team Pakistan driver until 2008. He also drives in theEuroseries 3000.
With the greatest concentration of the highest peaks of the world many of them very challenging climbs, Pakistan is a prime location for skilled mountain climbers. Five peaks are over 8,000 meters. The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) founded in 1974, is the national mountaineering and climbing federation.Chiltan Adventurers Association Balochistan is the major affiliated unit of ACP founded in 1984.Nazir Sabir,Ashraf Aman,Hayatullah Khan Durrani
Lt.Col Abdul Jabbar Bhatti, Col Sher Khan, andMeherban Karim are Pakistan's most experienced mountaineers.
Pakistan Alpine Institute is the pioneer of "big wall climbing" in Pakistan.[124] Pakistan's First Big Wall Climbing Expedition has been completed by Imran Junaidi and Usman Tariq in September 2013.[125]
Samina Baig is the firstPakistani woman and the third Pakistani to climbMount Everest. She is also the youngest Muslim woman to climb Everest, having done so at the age of 21. Samina is also the first Pakistani woman and the first Muslim to climb theseven summits.[126][127][128]
ThePakistan Weightlifting Federation was formed in 1953. Pakistan has picked up several medals over the years inweightlifting.
In the2021 World Weightlifting Championships inTashkent,Talha Talib won the bronze medal in the67 kg category by lifting 143 kg in the snatch event. This was Pakistan's first-ever medal at theWorld Weightlifting Championships.[129] Talha was brought into the limelight at the2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he finished fifth in themen's 67 kg event.[130] This was Pakistan's first top 5 position at the Olympics since1988 in sports other than field hockey.
Shujauddin Malik won a gold medal at the2006 Commonwealth Games, followed byNooh Dastgir Butt, who broke Commonwealth Games records as he won the gold medal at the2022 Commonwealth Games.[131]
ThePakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) organisesboxing matches inPakistan. The Pakistan Amateur Boxing Federation (PABF) organizes amateur matches. Pakistan has seen success at amateur-level boxing, despite a lack of necessary equipment and facilities. TheShaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament took place in the KPT Benazir Sports Complex inKarachi,Pakistan from 1–8 January 2010.[132]Amir Khan, the professionalBritish boxing world champion ofPakistani descent was the guest in the final rounds of tournament.
Pakistan has won medals at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.Quetta bornHaider Ali won gold at the2002 Commonwealth Games as a Featherweight and went on to become a professional boxer.Hussain Shah won the bronze medal in the Middleweight division at the1988 Summer Olympics, becoming the country's first ever and to date the only Olympic boxing medalist.[133][134]
Kabaddi is a famous sport in Pakistan. The governing body for Kabaddi in Pakistan isPakistan Kabaddi Federation. Pakistan won the2020 Kabaddi World Cup (circle style) at the National Stadium in Lahore, after a close contest against India by 43–41.[135]
Karate is the regular event ofNational Games, the federation also organizes the National karate championship.[136] ThePakistan Karate Federation is the national governing body to develop and promote the sport ofKarate inPakistan. Ghulam Ali andSaadi Abbas have won gold medals at theSAF Games.
In 2011,Saadi Abbas Jalbani became the first ever Asian Champion from South Asian region at the2011 Asian Championships inQuanzhou, China.[137]At theAsian Games held inJakarta,Indonesia in 2018,Nargis Hameedullah became the first Pakistani woman to win an individual medal (a bronze) at theAsian Games. This was the first ever medal for Pakistan in Asian Games karate competitions.[138]
Mixed Martial Arts Pakistan is the premieremixed martial arts (MMA) andmartial arts promotion based inPakistan that was created in December 2007 byBashir Ahmad to promote martial arts (and martial sports such asboxing andwrestling) styles in Pakistan with a particular focus on mixed martial arts competition.[139][140][141]
Anita Karim is the first international female Mixed Martial Arts fighter from Pakistan to win multiple national and international-level bouts.[142][143]
ThePakistan Taekwondo Federation is the national governing body to develop and promote the sport ofTaekwondo inPakistan.[144] Taekwondo was introduced in Pakistan byKorean Consulate inKarachi in 1962. The federation was established in 1977 and granted affiliation by World Taekwondo. In 1982, the federation was affiliated with the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).
It is a regular part of the biannualNational Games. The federation organizes the annual National Taekwondo Championship.[145]
ThePakistan Judo Federation is the governing body to develop and promote the game of Judo in Pakistan. The federation is based inPeshawar.
Shah Hussain Shah is Pakistan's most accomplished judoka, boasting an impressive record of international medals. He won two bronze medals at theAsian Judo Championships and two gold medals at theSouth Asian Games.[133] At the2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Shah narrowly lost to Scotland'sEuan Burton in the -100 kg division finals, securing a silver medal.[146] He added another bronze medal to his collection at the2022 Commonwealth Games.[147] A trailblazer for Pakistan, Shah made history by becoming the first judoka from the country to qualify for theOlympic Games, representing Pakistan at both the2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.[148][149]
Wrestling has always been an important sport in Pakistan, with regular tournaments played locally.Gama Pahalwan was an undefeated World Wrestling Champion fromPakistan. Gama Pahalwan's nephewBholu Pahalwan also representedPakistan in wrestling.ThePakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) is the national governing body of the sport of Wrestling in Pakistan.
Muhammad Bashir won the bronze medal in freestyle wrestling in the welterweight class (73 kg) at the1960 Summer Olympics inRome[150][151] becoming Pakistan's first and to date the only wrestling Olympic medalist.[150] Pakistan's most successful event in theCommonwealth Games has been Wrestling, where it has won 46 medals, 21 of which have been Gold. It ranks 3rd overall inWrestling at the Commonwealth Games.[152] Other notable wrestlers includeAslam Pahalwan,Muhammad Sardar,Muhammad Niaz,Muhammad Nazir,Siraj Din,Zaman Anwar,Muhammad Umar,Muhammad Niaz-Din,Faiz Muhammad,Muhammad Ashraf,Muhammad Akhtar,Muhammad Bilal,Mohammad Din,Bashir Bhola Bhala,Qamar Abbas,Azhar Hussain andMuhammad Inam.Inayat Ullah wonPakistan's first individual medal at theYouth Olympic Games in2018.[153]
ThePakistan Canoe and Kayak Federation is the only official governing body of canoe and kayak sports in Pakistan. The headquarters of PCKF is based in the Hayat Durrani Water Sports Academy atHanna LakeQuetta, one of the major canoe / kayak paddling and Rowing center in Pakistan.[154] PCKF is affiliated on international level with International Canoe FederationInternational Canoe Federation (ICF)[155][156] and on Asian level with Asian Canoe Confederation (ACC),[157] and on National level recognised withPakistan Sports Board. The Kayaking National ChampionsMohammad Abubakar Durrani, Mohammad Shoaib Khilji, and Farhanullah Kakar belong to HDWSA and Pakistan Customs Canoe & Kayak team Quetta.
Karachi andQuetta are the major centers of rowing in Pakistan. The National Rowing Championship is the major national event ofrowing in the country. ThePakistan Rowing Federation was a founding member of the Asian Rowing Federation. Although Pakistani rowers take part in events, it is considered a minority sport. Rowers like Ali Hassan, Maqbool Ali, Zohaib Zia Hashmi, and Muhammad Asad Khan have won medals at international events and in International School Rowing events. Junior Rowers from Balochistan, such as Mehardil Khan Baabai and Mirwaise Khan Baabai won many medals.Muhammad Akram andZahid Ali Pirzada,Hazrat Islam competed at the2000 Summer Olympics in the single sculls and lightweight double sculls events, respectively.[158]
In May 2025, Mohammad Shehzad, a 64-year-old rower, won a gold medal in the 60+ singles category at the Asian Indoor Rowing Championships held inPattaya,Thailand. Shehzad defeated Indian competitor James Joseph and set a new Asian record with a time of 1:32.30. His victory was celebrated nationally, including by his daughter,Mahoor Shahzad, an Olympian who represented Pakistan at the2020 Tokyo Games. Pakistan had a strong showing at the championship, securing a total of 14 medals — 10 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze. The event, held from May 26 to 31, featured competitions on indoor rowing machines such as the Concept2 ergometer. Other notable Pakistani performers included Abdul Jabbar and Tayyab Iftikhar, who contributed to the country’s medal tally.[159]
ThePakistan Sailing Federation is the national body, with Karachi and Balochistan Sailing/Yachting Associations as its major units.Byram Dinshawji Avari won gold medals forPakistan at the1978 Asian Games inBangkok, and again at the1982 Asian Games inNew Delhi.Goshpi Avari won the medal with her husband,Byram, at the1982 Games.[citation needed] She was the first and, until 2010, the only Pakistani woman to have won a gold medal at a major international competition.[160] Byram D. Avari also won a silver medal at the Enterprise World Championship held inCanada in 1978. In 2004, Mohammad Tanveer of Pakistan won a silver medal in the Mistral Asian Championship held in Bombay. Shazli Tahir won silver and Junaid Ahmed won a bronze medal in the first CAS International Sailing Championship in April 2008.Muhammad Zakaullah is a keen yachtsman and has represented Pakistan at numerous international events.[161] He has won gold medals at theAsian Games twice.Munir Sadiq sailed into the record books in1998 Asian Games, as his silver medal in the open enterprise class made him the first sailor to win five medals in the Asian Games. He had previously won three gold medals in the enterprise class in 1978, 1986 and 1990, as well as a silver in the same class in 1994.[162] Notable sailors who competed at the Olympics includeKhalid Akhtar,Arshad Choudhry,Javed Rasool andMamoon Sadiq.[163][164]
Up until recently,swimming struggled as a sport in Pakistan. But there has been a surge in interest, particularly withRubab Raza. She was the youngest Olympic competitor in Pakistan's history, aged 13 at the2004 Summer Olympics.Kiran Khan known as "Golden Girl" also came to attention when she won 7 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 3 bronze medals at28 National Games in 2001. She represented Pakistan at the2008 Summer Olympics. Other notable swimmers includeIftikhar Ahmed Shah,Muhammad Ramzan,Muhammad Bashir,Ahmed Nazir,Bisma Khan,Syed Muhammad Haseeb Tariq,Lianna Swan,Jehanara Nabi,Anum Bandey,Mumtaz Ahmed,Adil Baig,Israr Hussain,Kamal Masud andHaris Bandey.[165][166][167][168][169]Pakistan Swimming Federation is the governing body of swimming in the Pakistan.
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