The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has honoured 17 prominent sports personalities for their outstanding achievements and contributions to sports. The Sports Heroes Awards 2026 ceremony took place at Nishtar Hall in Peshawar on Friday, recognising athletes who represented Pakistan at national and international levels.
Governor’s Adviser on Sports and Youth Affairs Dr Sarfaraz Ali Shah and Adviser on Information Samar Haroon Bilour attended the ceremony as chief guests. They distributed awards among the recipients and appreciated their dedication, hard work and contributions to Pakistani sports.
Awards Recognise Legends And Sporting Champions
The organisers presented awards in three categories: Legends, Champions and Emerging Talent. The Legends category included former world squash champions Jansher Khan and Qamar Zaman, hockey Olympian Naeem Akhtar and former provincial sports minister Syed Aqil Shah.
Other recipients included former Mr Pakistan Shiraz Mohammad, former world number two squash player Mohibullah Khan and former sports director Rashida Ghaznavi. These personalities received recognition for their achievements and longstanding services to sports.
The Champions category honoured Test cricketer Imran Khan, national hockey player Zakaria Hayat and international taekwondo gold medallist Maimoona Baloch. Their performances brought recognition to the country and highlighted Pakistan’s sporting talent.
Emerging Athletes Receive Special Recognition
The Emerging Talent category recognised seven promising athletes from different sporting disciplines. These included national karate gold medallist Murad Khan, sailing athlete Hijab Ajmal and judoka Syed Faisal Shah.
Bodybuilder Shahid Khan, judoka Asifa Noor and table tennis players Usman Khan and Fahad Khawaja also received awards. The category aimed to encourage young athletes and support their future sporting careers.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Sarfaraz Ali Shah congratulated the winners and praised their perseverance. He said their achievements demonstrated the importance of discipline, determination and consistent hard work.
Meanwhile, Samar Haroon Bilour appreciated the Sports Department for recognising national sporting heroes. She expressed hope that similar initiatives would continue inspiring younger generations to participate in sports.
The ceremony highlighted the province’s sporting achievements while encouraging greater participation and recognising athletes who have brought pride to Pakistan.
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