On Wednesday, President Asif Ali Zardari awarded a Rs100 million cheque to Karate champion Shahzaib Rindh at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, recognizing his triumph in an international competition.
Last month, the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter made history by securing the Karate Combat Championship (KC-49) title in Singapore, becoming the first-ever world champion from Pakistan. Rindh defeated Brazil’s Bruno Roberto De Assis in the final, as confirmed by Karate Combat, which is known as the leading global full-contact striking league.
After his historic win, the 26-year-old athlete from Balochistan described the achievement as a “dream come true” in a post on X, where he also shared a photo of himself with the championship belt. Days after the victory, Rindh received a warm welcome at Quetta airport from Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, provincial officials, and a large crowd of fans.
During the cheque presentation ceremony, the president congratulated Shahzaib Rindh on his remarkable win in Singapore and lauded his efforts in bringing pride to Pakistan through Karate, according to a statement shared by the president’s party, PPP. Chief Minister Bugti was also in attendance at the event.
“There is immense talent among Pakistan’s youth, and it’s essential to provide them with opportunities,” President Zardari remarked. He emphasized the importance of encouraging young people to participate in sports and expressed hope that Rindh would continue to bring further glory to Pakistan in the future.
