Pakistan’s top martial artist Shahzaib Rind has accused the country’s political leadership of dishonesty and neglect for allegedly failing to fulfil financial promises made after his international victories.

 

In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), the three-time national Wushu champion said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced a reward of PKR 5 million in cash and PKR 80 million to support his training and upcoming fights. However, the promises were never fulfilled.

 

“Our politicians are corrupt. Last time I won, Prime Minister announced 5 million cash for me and 80 million to support my training camp and upcoming fights. It was all a lie. I never got a penny from them. They just take pictures, make fake promises, and forget. Shame,” Rind wrote, tagging the ISPR in his post.

 

 

“I don’t know why I haven’t received what I was promised almost 1.5 years ago. I tried to contact the Prime Minister’s team. I haven’t received any response from them,” he said.

 

Rind, who hails from Quetta and holds a combined Wushu and Kickboxing record of 75 wins and just 4 defeats, added that he has made repeated attempts to contact the Prime Minister’s team but received no response.

 

Currently the Lightweight World Champion in Karate Combat, Rind’s criticism highlights a recurring issue in Pakistan where athletes are praised after major wins but often left without institutional support.

 

Last week, Shahzaib clinched the KC Lightweight World Championship at KC 56 with a dominant performance against Brazil’s Luis Rocha. The victory extended his undefeated professional record to 8-0. He dictated the pace of the fight and outclassed Rocha in key exchanges to secure a decisive win in front of a packed crowd.

 

Rind had already made history in 2024 by becoming Pakistan’s first-ever world champion in Karate Combat after defeating Brazil’s Bruno Roberto De Assis in the KC-49 final in Singapore. He is also a six-time national Wushu champion and previously secured the Combat League title in the United States.