The knee joints of former World Champion and elder brother of squash wizard Jansher Khan was successfully operated in MMC General Hospital, Peshawar with a team of orthopedic surgeons headed by Dr. Ghulam Atiq conducted the operation.
“My father is in stable condition and hopefully he will be quickly recovering,” PSB Head Squash Coach Shehzad Mohib told the media soon after the operation. He said knee joints problems with every squash player reported and especially in the old age but thank Allah, the legendary Mohibullah knee-replacement operation successfully conducted under orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ghulam Atiq.
Former British Open Champion Qamar Zaman along with Heart Surgeon Dr. Irfan also visited Mohib Ullah and prayed for his early recovery. Qamar Zaman said that knee injuries are common with every squash player and that was why Mohib Ullah conducted his knee-replacement operation like World Champion Jansher Khan.
Mohib Ullah was one of the game’s leading players in the 1970s — being World No 2 at one stage. He was the runner-up at the inaugural World Open in 1975 and at the British Open in 1976, losing on both occasions to Australia’s Geoff Hunt. Besides coaching Pakistan team comprising Jansher Khan, Jehangir Khan that won World Championship in 1993, Mohib Ullah also trained players like Nasir Iqbal, Farhan Zaman, Bilal Zakir, Sadam, junior player Humam Ahmad, Laiba Ahmad and many more that went through PSB Squash Academy training and coaching.
Mohibullah, said: “Being the mentor of Jansher, remained as coach of present stars Farhan Mehboob, Aamir Atlas, Nasir Iqbal and lots of other kids, it hurts watching Pakistan is nowhere in top 10 in the PSA rankings and not a single Pakistani player managed to win a major title for the last two decades.”
“I have worked as PSB director squash at Peshawar center for the last nine years and regularly provide the deserving players rackets, kits, shoes, balls and all the related stuff free of cost and also monthly stipends to deserving kids,” he added.
Thanks mainly to all out support of all the PSB DGs and all the concerned staff, who gave me free hand, provided me whatever I had requested for the betterment of the players. Mohib said: “I started training U11, U13, U15 and U17 kids at the PSB academy in 2006 and due to my professional dedication and the players’ hard work and keen interest, I had managed to produce a lot of players at junior level.”
A number of my pupils are playing at the top level, such as Farhan Mehboob and Aamir Atlas, who reached among top 15 in the PSA world rankings and Mansoor Zaman reached top 11th in the World Ranking but none of them could replace Jansher Khan and Jehangir Khan. “I know the job of producing a world class player is not an easy task, but let me assure all that it is difficult but not impossible,” he added.
“We have talented players and if provided with top level coaching and latest facilities, these players can earn laurels for the country,” he maintained.
“After Jansher, I had put all my knowledge and experience in the Farhan brothers, Atlas brothers, Nasir Iqbal, Maria Toor Pakai and a number of other individuals, who managed to create ripples in squash and took a lot of titles.”
“I could have earned millions of rupees by coaching abroad but I preferred to stay home and work for the country without getting a single penny benefit, just because of sheer love for my country and squash,” he disclosed.
Being former world number 2 and finalist of British Open and World Open in 1976, I always feel it was my responsibility to pay back in the best possible fashion to my country, which gave me so name, fame and identity at world level.
PSF can take advantage of my vast unmatched experience. “If the federation consults me, I am always willing to help Pakistan squash in the best possible manner,” he added.
“I know a lot of things have changed since our time, but with sheer commitment, passion, hard work, nothing is impossible,” Mohib Ullah concluded.
