Peshawar   -  Shabir Ahmed, a renowned volleyball player of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is extremely disheartened by the decline in traditional sports activities in his hometown of Amankot, Nowshera district due to the use of internet and social media.

Amankot - once a vibrant centre for volleyball matches among local players by producing many stars is now deserted due to growing dominance of internet and social media, influencing the area’s youth immensely.

Shabbir recalled a time when volleyball tournaments were a major local event before 2000, drawing large crowds amid significant enthusiasm, especially among the youth of Peshawar, Charsadda and Nowshera districts.

“It is heartbreaking to see the deserted volleyball and Kabaddi grounds where we used to play with great spirit and sports discipline,” he told APP. He reminisced about the lively gatherings and competitive sportsmen spirits that once defined the local sports scene.

Before the rise of the internet and social media in 2001, the villages and towns sports events in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were highly anticipated, with volleyball and Kabaddi tournaments besides other traditional games drawing enthusiastic support from locals irrespective of caste and colors.

Players from surrounding towns and villages of Nowshera, Charsadda and Peshawar had come together every Friday for Kabaddi matches, with crowds cheering and chanting “Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi” as they played, raising winners on shoulders amid dances on beatdrums.

Shabir who represented Police at National Games pointed to Pakistan’s great success in Kabaddi, noting that the national team won the World Cup in 2020 and Arshad Naeem’s heroic performance at javelin throw during Paris Olympics 2024 raised heads of every Pakistani high.

He believed that with proper support and recognition, Pakistan can produce more champions like Olympic gold medallist Arshad Naeem, Squash legends Jahangir Khan and Jan Sher Khan and Seoul 19988 Olympics silver medallist Hussain Shah to make the national flag high in the world.

However, he emphasised that the current focus on digital entertainment especially on facebook and TikTok are negatively impacting traditional sports especially in rural areas where scope of sports is gradually fading away.

The proliferation of internet use in Pakistan, which has crossed 111 million early this year, has mainly contributed to the decline of traditional sports in Pakistan including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat have seen significant user growth, further drawing attention away from physical activities.

The internet users in Pakistan had swelled to a record 111 million in January this year while about 71.90 million people use social media which is equating to 29.5 million of the total population of the country.

Similarly, about 188.9 million cellular connections are active in Pakistan which is equal to 77.8 percent of 241 million population of Pakistan. Alike, the users on Facebook have jumped to record 44.50 million while 71.70 million population use YouTube, 17.30 million on Instagram, 54.38 million TikTok and 30.21 million Snapchat, affecting traditional games.

Squash legend Qamar Zaman noted the negative impact of the internet and social media on traditional sports including squash. He observed a significant reduction in the number of young players in his squash academy compared to previous years due to the negative effects of the internet and social media’s influence.

He said Pakistan had ruled on world squash referring to the great squash players such as Roshan Khan, Azam Khan, Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan, Atlas Khan and himself over the years.

Political concerns also emerged with Ikhtiar Wali Khan, Pakistan Muslim League-N KP Information Secretary and former member provincial assembly, criticising the PTI-led government for its long delays in upgrading and renovating the historic Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium.

The stadium’s renovation, which began in 2017, remained incomplete even today, depriving thousands of players of crucial sports facilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa especially in Peshawar.

Ikhtiar Wali Khan also highlighted the cancellation of seven sports projects valued at over Rs2.34 billion in the KP budget for 2024, which he argued undermines sports development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said this irrational move has raised serious concerns about the PTI’s commitment to sports development and supporting athletes, adding the cancelled projects include building two sports stadiums in Peshawar and Swabi and establishment of a cricket coaching academy in Kohat, and constructing Takhtbhai Sports Complex in Mardan was tantamount of depriving youth of sports.

The affected initiatives are renovations in Kohat Sports Complex and Swabi Sports Ground, installing new lighting, and developing sports facilities in Lower Dir and a Motor Sports Arena in Nowshera.

In response to these daunting challenges, Fakhar Jehan, Adviser to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sports and Youth Affairs, stated that solid efforts are underway to revitalize traditional sports in the province.

He said a new sports policy was launched and mandated that schools must dedicate weekly one day, especially Saturday, to sports activities.

He claimed that 95 percent of work on Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium was completed and sports facilities at Ayub Cricket Stadium improved.

The CM aide reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting sports and healthy activities in the region, emphasizing their significance in building a healthy society.