Wushu, the Chinese version of Martial Arts (Kung-Fu), is most rapidly progressing in Pakistan. Having being introduced in the country in 1992, it took six-years to get affiliation with Pakistan Olympic Association. It was bestowed with playing rights in the National Games and then pleaded for its entry in the South Asian Games.
IIn a matte of mere seven years as a properly organized sport in Pakistan, Wushu has established itself on a sound fitting, and it reflects from its eight medals in prestige multi-sport events such as the SAF Games and the Asian. Most remarkably on both occasions, Wushu was making its debut.
Pakistan’s Wushu players gave a super display of their capability in the 2006 South Asian Games in Colombo, winning two Gold Medals, four Silver and One Bronze.
In December, 2006 at Doha, Syed Maratib Ali Shah, Gold winner in 65Kg at Colombo, stunned all by winning Bronze in Doha.
Out of a contingent of 200, Maratib’s landing the bronze-with Kabaddi contributing a Silver and Hockey and Squash another two Bronze-from a rather obscure Martial Arts sport was an achievement that would surely win the game more followers.
In 2006, yet, quite surprisingly, Pakistan Wushu Federation has yet to be declared as an affiliated unit by the Pakistan Sports Board.
First introduced in Pakistan by Grand Master Malik Iftikhar in 1992- after he went to China by road in 17 days to imbibe enough knowledge to launch the game here- Wushu now is played in 32 clubs in Lahore alone.
And in the country it now has a most remarkable base of well over 30,000 actively involved in training in different institutes- particularly in the small town of the Punjab.
Quite understandably China, Pakistan’s all-weather friend, has helped its native sport to grow in several ways-not the least being getting Wushu official recognition in this country. And here’s how.
In 1998, Pakistan and China were signing a memorandum of understanding for the exchange of sporting know-how. A journalist covering the ceremony asked the President of the National Olympics Committee of China that while it has done a lot for this country, whether he would want Pakistan to reciprocate in any way. The reply was prompt and unambiguous,
“I WANT THE NOC PAKISTAN TO GRANT AFFILIATION TO WUSHU”
That was the moment when Wushu become part of the Pakistan Olympic family. And to its immense credit, it has neither let down its Chinese sponsors nor the POA.
To take firm root in a foreign land, every sport requires people with pioneering spirit to guide it through the nascent period. In Malik Iftikhar Wushu found such a person in Pakistan.
In 1992, when he returned from China after learning about the game, he had next to nothing in terms of material resources, save his own drive and ambition to introduce the game here. And where there is a will, as the saying goes there is a way.
International Achievements
10th South Asian Games, Colombo, 2006
Gold Medal
Syed Maratib Ali Shah
Mr. Ijaz Ahmed Butt
Silver Medal
Mr. Muhammad Imran
Mr. Muhammad Bashir
Mr. Zakir Hussain
Mrs. Asima Ikran
Bronze Medal
Mr. Faiz Rasan
15th Asian Games, Doha, 2006
Pakistan Wushu Team had participated with 04 Players and this is the History of Pakistan in Martial Arts that Wushu has won ever first Medal in any Martial Arts for Pakistan.
Bronze Medal
Syed Maratib Ali Shah
3rd South Asian Wushu Championship, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2008
Pakistan Wushu Team had participated with 05 Players and all the players won Medals
Silver Medal
Mr. Muhammad Sarwar
Bronze Medal
Mr. Muhammad Khalil
Mr. Asghar Hussain
Mr. Sajjad Ali
Mr. Samiullah
7th Asian Wushu Championship, Macau, 2008
Pakistan Wushu Team had participated with two players and both of the players obtained Medals.
Silver Medal
Mr. Samiullah
Bronze Medal
Syed Maratib Ali Shah
1st Asian Martial Games, Thailand, 2009
Pakistan Wushu Team had participate with 04 Players and won 02 Bronze Medals.
Bronze Medal
Syed Maratib Ali Shah
Miss. Nazia Pervaiz
11th South Asian Games, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2010
Pakistan Wushu Team had participated with 08 Players and won 02 Gold and 03 Bronze Medals for Pakistan.
Gold Medal
Syed Maratib Ali Shah
Mr. Maaz Khan
Bronze Medal
Mr. Asghar Hussain
Mr. Hussain Ibrahimi
Miss. Nazia Pervaiz
16th Asian Games, Guangzhou, China, 2010
This Pakistan Wushu Team participated with 04 Players and won the Silver Medal this time, again in the Martial Arts History of Pakistan, we won every first Silver Medal for Pakistan. Ijaz Ahmed won the Silver Medal.
3rd Pars Grand Prix Wushu Championship, Iran, 2011
Silver Medal
Muhammad Sarwar
Maaz Khan
Rashid Minhas
Bronze Medal
Muhammad Imran
Asghar Hussain
17th Asian Games, Incheon, South Korea, 2014
Pakistan Wushu Team participated with 07 Players and won the Bronze Medal this time,
Bronze Medal
Syed Maratib Ali Shah
3rd West Asia Wushu Championship, Iran, 2015
Gold Medal
Alamgeer Khan Tareen
Silver Medal
Abdullah
Bronze Medal
Shahzaib Khair
5th Pars Wushu Championship, Iran, 2015
Silver Medal
Kabeer Khan
Bronze Medal
Maaz Khan
Alamgeer Khan Tareen
12th South Asian Games, Guwahati, India, 2016
Pakistan Wushu Team had participated with 16 Players and won 02 Gold, 02 Silver and 06 Bronze Medals for Pakistan.
Gold Medal
Syed Maratib Ali Shah
Mr. Maaz Khan
Silver Medal
Mr. Zahoor Ahmed
Mr. Rashid Minhas
Bronze Medal
Mr. Waleed Ajmal
Miss. Rukhsana Hanif
Miss. Zarina Rafique
Miss. Nazia Pervaiz
Miss. Mubashra
Miss. Komal Emmanuel
3 Nation International Wushu Championship, Pakistan, 2016
In the said championship, Pakistan clinched the title after winning the under mentioned medals:
Gold Medal
Mr. Abdul Khaliq
Mr. Fareed Ahmad
Mr. Shahzaib
Mr. Imran Laghari
Silver Medal
Mr. Abdul Rehman
Bronze Medal
Mr. Jumma Khan
Mr. Muhammad Mushtaq
Mr. Sajjad Ali
Mr. Muhammad Saleem
Since 2003 up till now this is the record for Pakistan Wushu Federation that Pakistan Wushu Team never came back without medals from any International Wushu Championships.