ISLAMABAD - Former eight-time world squash champion Jansher Khan believes Pakistan is blessed with immense amount of natural raw talent but there is a need to groom them well and provide them maximum PSA events at home and abroad.

Talking to The Nation, Jansher said: “I had very little doubt about the abilities of our youngsters both males and females. I know the federation is doing exceptional job and ever since Air Marshal Shahid Akhtar Alvi and Thair Sultan were appointed as senior vice president and secretary of the federation, the things are moving fast in right direction. They have maintained strict discipline and hired young coaches while they are also keen to promote women squash, an area which was badly ignored in the recent past, as no one bothered to pay heed over finding females and working on them. We had great talent in females in the past, but all that talent got wasted due to negligence.”

He said he believes that the associations are solely responsible for not hunting fresh talent and even if they managed to find, they never recommended them to the federation. Without working as a unit and backing federation all out, we can never produce even local level players, thinking about producing Jahangir and Jansher is not more than day-dreaming.

“It is national and moral duty of each and every affiliate unit of the PSF to find fresh talent, groom them and recommend them to the federation. Bahria Town has been doing great job as they had conducted two PSA tournaments for women players, which was great contribution towards women squash,” he added.

Jansher said he strongly believes that no other squash-playing nation has natural talent in squash than Pakistan, but Pakistani players lack way behind to them. “The other nations host a great number PSA events, both for males and females, while on the other hand, the PSF is trying to convince the PSA to provide maximum events to the country. Though Pakistan successfully hosted a few international squash events, yet they are too less to improve our players’ rankings.

“The PSA has allocated two tournaments to Pakistan, one each for male and female. Our youth and players will take huge benefit from these two events. The time is high when the federation should conduct open trials in each and every major city and involve associations so that the best out of the players can be got,” he added.

Jansher said: “We, the squash greats, are also ready to help the federation in best possible fashion. I have time and again offered the PSF to take benefit from my vast experience and I am still willing to work for the noble cause of producing world class squash players in next two years. The federation has been providing the best to the players and it is now players and associations turn to respond positively.

“The current players must realise that a huge amount of national kitty was spent on their participation in different PSA events abroad, but they failed miserably. So I think they must respond and try to understand that money must be well-spent. If they play like champions and lose, there is a no issue, but if they exit in pre-qualifying or first rounds, it will be not acceptable to anyone. I hope players will pay heed to my advice and give their best to excel at higher level,” Jansher concluded.