Kaneria took to social media to voice his discontent, urging the Prime Minister to remove the post and offer a more appropriate form of congratulations
By Ahsan Mughal
KARACHI: Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria has publicly criticized Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his handling of the celebration for Arshad Nadeem’s historic victory at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Nadeem’s remarkable achievement of winning gold in the men’s javelin throw, with a record-breaking distance of 92.97 meters, marks Pakistan’s first-ever Olympic gold in this event.
Nadeem’s victory also saw him surpass India’s Neeraj Chopra, the defending Olympic champion, who took silver with a throw of 89.45 meters. In his social media post celebrating Nadeem’s victory, Prime Minister Sharif used an outdated photograph of himself presenting a cheque of Rs1 million to the athlete. This gesture, intended to honor Nadeem’s achievement, has been met with criticism due to its perceived insensitivity and lack of relevance to the athlete’s current needs and accomplishments.
Kaneria took to social media to voice his discontent, urging the Prime Minister to remove the post and offer a more appropriate form of congratulations. He argued, “Prime Minister, at least offer a graceful congratulations. Delete the picture of the million rupees you gave—it does nothing for his real needs. This amount is so small he can’t even afford air tickets. It’s an insult to both Arshad and the nation, considering his ongoing struggles.”
In contrast to the Prime Minister’s gesture, Maryam Nawaz, Chief Minister of Punjab, has announced a more substantial recognition for Nadeem. She revealed plans to award him Rs100 million and pledged to name a sports city after him in his hometown of Mian Channu. This generous gesture highlights the significance of Nadeem’s achievement and his status as a national hero.
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