ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistan squash team head coach Jamshed Gul Khan has been retained by World Squash Federation (WSF) as referee for another three year term, as he has been regular referee on WSF panel since 1997.
Tahir Khanzada is the second Pakistani who is in WSF referee panel, while Muneer Shah, who was director of Asian referees, failed to meet the required criteria along with Ayaz Khan, who was also dropped from WSF referees panel. Indian Rajeev Ready also failed to cling on to his position.
Talking to The Nation Wednesday Jamshed said: “I went to India on special invitation to coach college/university level students for three weeks. I must admit I was very impressed with the system, Indians had adopted for promotion of squash at college/university level. We don't have such system exists in Pakistan.”
He said Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) didn’t have any clear-cut policy or planning for promoting of the game in the country. “We lack direction and the game here has been suffering due to personal egos and liking and disliking. Top players are sitting out, instead of working on pool of players, the federation is working on certain individuals. During my three-year triune as head coach, I managed to win all the Asian level titles with the same bunch of players. My players’ PSA ranking was gradually improving and for the very first time after several years gap, Nasir Iqbal broke into top 50 in PSA rankings. Farhan Zaman jumped to number one in national rankings and 54 in PSA rankings.
“Soon after I was sacked, Farhan's decline started again and the same players, who were winning PSA events, started losing major events. Instead of recognizing my services for the game and country, all of a sudden I was shown the door. The head coach post was abolished just to save few bucks. Now I want to ask a simple question that for the past eight months what is the result of PSF. Instead of going up, Pakistani players had failed to win a single PSA event abroad, all the players falling down in PSA rankings, and not a single major camp was established to improve their games and remove their flaws,” he added.
“Without paying heed, how can PSF achieve desired results and regain lost squash glory? I admit Razi Nawab brought me as coach, but I justified my selection, but their plans failed to click, whether it was education, US, UAE or UK. All those plans remain in papers and no ground work was witnessed,” he said.
“If my policies were continued, Nasir and Farhan Zaman could have easily sit at top 30 in PSA rankings. I not only helped male players take giant strides in PSA rankings, but for the very first time, I gave proper attention towards females, which resulted in their noticeable performances in major events,” he added.
Jamshed said: “I can earn five-time more what the PSF paid me, but I accepted the job as challenge and succeeded in justifying my role. I am feeling pain to see decline of Pakistan squash with each passing day. If no proper planning and solid steps are taken, all the past glory days of Pakistan squash will only be remembered in history books. The persons sitting on the helm of affairs lack commitment. They just make tall claims and can’t do anything practically for better of squash.”
“Squash lovers and players had pinned high hopes on new PSF president Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman but surprisingly after four months, no major decision was made by the president. The squash is run on same old lines and top players are being ignored completely and personal liking and disliking is on its rise. If they continue self-styled policies, I don't see any positive results, instead I fear worst to come,” Jamshed concluded.