Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has come under fire from former cricketer Danish Kaneria after awarding Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem a cash prize of PKR 1 million (approximately INR 3 lakh). Nadeem, who made history by becoming Pakistan’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist in an individual sport at the Paris 2024 Games, was honored by the Prime Minister upon his return home. However, the amount of the reward has sparked controversy.
Kaneria took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his displeasure, criticizing the Prime Minister for what he perceived as an inadequate and disrespectful reward. “Mr. Prime Minister, at least offer a graceful congratulations. Delete the picture of the million rupees you gave—it does nothing for his real needs. This amount is so small he can’t even afford air tickets. It’s an insult to both Arshad and the nation, considering his ongoing struggles,” Kaneria wrote.
The Prime Minister had earlier congratulated Nadeem on X, writing, “Bravo Arshad. History made! Pakistan’s first Olympic men’s javelin champion, Arshad Nadeem @ArshadOlympian1 brings home a historic #gold medal at #Paris2024! You’ve made the whole nation proud young man.”
Despite the national pride surrounding Nadeem’s achievement, the criticism highlights the broader issue of inadequate support for athletes in Pakistan. Nadeem, who hails from a modest background, has brought glory to the country, but his triumph has also drawn attention to the challenges he continues to face.
In response to his victory, Nadeem has requested the government to provide essential infrastructure improvements for his village, including better roads, cooking gas connections, and educational facilities. “My village needs roads. If the government provides cooking gas, it would be great for me and my village. I also have a dream that Mian Channu city gets a university so that our sisters won’t have to travel to Multan, which is 1.5 to 2 hours away, to study. If the government makes a university here it would be great news for my village and the neighboring ones,” Nadeem told reporters.
As Nadeem remains in the spotlight following his historic achievement, the debate over the support and recognition provided to Pakistan’s athletes is likely to continue. For now, the focus is on whether the government will respond to the calls for greater assistance to the nation’s new hero and his community.
