Veteran Olympian Hanif Khan has openly criticized Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Rana Mashhood, chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, for their alleged inaction in restoring departmental sports across Pakistan.

Speaking to the media, Khan expressed deep frustration over the government’s inability to implement its own directives. “If the prime minister truly had authority, his notification to reinstate departmental sports would have been enforced without delay,” he said. Khan questioned the leadership’s effectiveness, suggesting that decisions are being undermined or ignored within the government hierarchy.

He laid particular blame on Rana Mashhood, holding him accountable for the stagnation. “It is Mashhood’s responsibility to investigate the delay and take action to revive departmental sports,” Khan asserted.

Drawing comparisons to the era of former President Zia-ul-Haq, Khan reminisced about a time when sports flourished within government departments. “Back then, departments actively supported teams in hockey, cricket, football, badminton, and tennis,” he said, lamenting the decline of institutional sports in the country.

Khan stressed that restoring departmental sports is essential not just for athletes’ careers but also for the overall revival of competitive sports in Pakistan.