After Karate champ Shahzaib Rind's complaint, PM Shehbaz hands over Rs5m cheque to father

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif awarded a cheque of Rs5 million to the father of Shahzaib Rind, the Karate Combat Lightweight World Champion, following a public complaint by the athlete.

The Prime Minister met Rind’s father, Khair Muhammad, on Tuesday at the Prime Minister’s House, where he handed over the prize money and conveyed his best wishes for Shahzaib's future.

This development followed a video statement by Shahzaib Rind, in which the Karate World Champion celebrated his third consecutive victory in the KC Lightweight World Championship, dedicating the achievement to the nation.

However, he also expressed disappointment that his accomplishments had gone unrecognised by the government, which failed to fulfill financial commitments previously made to him.

Read: Karate Champion Shahzaib Rind expresses disappointment over unfulfilled govt promises

Shahzaib had posted a strongly worded message criticising the government's inaction. He stated that the financial support announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, both a cash reward and funding for his training camps, was never delivered, even after more than a year.

His post quickly went viral, prompting him to release a follow-up video explaining that he has been self-funding his participation in international competitions to represent Pakistan on the global stage.

“I have a complaint with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,” he said. “Last year, after I defeated my Indian opponent, I was invited to the Prime Minister’s House and promised financial support and full funding for my training camps.”

Read: Proud moment for Pakistan as Shahzaib Rind becomes World Karate Champion

In response, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar issued a public apology to Shahzaib Rind over the "unjustified delay" in providing the financial assistance previously announced by the Prime Minister.

Tarar stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took “strict notice” after Shahzaib Rind publicly voiced his disappointment regarding the unfulfilled promises.