Sport in Pakistan is a significant part of Pakistani culture. Cricket is the most popular sport in Pakistan. Football has also gained popularity in recent years, and is the second most popular sport in the country. Field hockey is the national sport, and was popular for several decades, with some of Pakistan's greatest sporting accomplishments having taken place in this sport, along with squash. Polo and traditional sports like kabaddi, Tent pegging and other well-known games are also played.
Football in Pakistan is as old as the country itself. Shortly after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the Pakistan Football Federation was created, and the nation's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah became its first Patron-in-Chief. The highest football division in the country is the Pakistan Premier League. Pakistan is known as one of the best manufacturers of the official FIFA World Cup ball.
In field hockey, Pakistan is one of the most successful national teams with a record four Hockey World Cup wins, eight Asian Games gold medals, three gold medals at the Olympic Games, and the only Asian team to have won the prestigious Champions Trophy three times.
Pakistan's Jahangir Khan is widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time, followed by his compatriot Jansher Khan. From 1981 to 1986, Jahangir was unbeaten and during that time won 555 consecutive matches – the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sport, as recorded by Guinness World Records.
In Northern Pakistan, the annual Shandur Polo Festival at Shandur Top is an international event attended by enthusiasts from all over the world. The Shandur polo ground at Shandur Pass is the world's highest, at approximately 3,734 metres (12,251ft).
The Pakistan Olympic Association, established in 1948, and recognised in the same year by the International Olympic Committee, is the National Olympic Committee for Pakistan. It was the premier regulator of sports activities in Pakistan from 1948 until the establishment of Pakistan Sports Board. Established in 1962 as a corporate body, the Pakistan Sports Board is responsible for promoting and developing uniform standards of competition in sports across Pakistan, as well as regulating and controlling sports activities on a national level. It is supported by the Pakistan Sports Trust, which provides financial assistance to players and associations facing financial difficulties, enabling them to continue their participation in the Olympic Games, Asian Games, World Games, and Commonwealth Games.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, had a great love for the sport and fully realized the vital role it played in the development of nations and the inculcation of discipline among the masses. In a meeting with the Organizing Committee of the First Pakistan Olympic Games held at Karachi, Jinnah told the first President of the Pakistan Olympic Association, Ahmed E.H.:
Dedicate yourself to sports promotion, for when you and I are gone, leadership will go into the hands of Youth, and Youth is our wealth, a raw material, that must be hammered into shape, into burnished steel to strive and smite in defense – the defense of the integrity and solidarity of Pakistan – the defense of the ideology of Pakistan.
Pakistan's sporting prowess has declined sharply in recent years, while cricket remains widely popular, other sports have suffered due to neglect from both the government and sporting authorities. The corporatization of sports in Pakistan has led to a lack of investment in nurturing talented athletes and providing adequate facilities and training. Government patronage and funding for sports are at an all-time low, resulting in outdated equipment, obsolete training methods, and dilapidated sports infrastructure. The focus on cricket has overshadowed other sports, exacerbating the decline across various disciplines.
Since independence, Pakistan's sports system has developed along multiple overlapping models rather than a single club-based pyramid. The most distinctive of these has been the departmental model, where state-owned enterprises, government ministries, and the armed forces employ athletes as staff and field teams in domestic competition. This approach, inherited from colonial-era works teams, became dominant from the 1960s to the 1990s across cricket, football, hockey, and athletics, providing stable employment for players through institutions such as Pakistan International Airlines, WAPDA, and the armed services.
Alongside departments, federations have periodically promoted regional and provincial teams, representing administrative units such as Punjab, Sindh or Karachi, particularly in the National Games and domestic cricket. Community clubs and academies have remained central at the grassroots, especially in football hotbeds such as Lyari in Karachi, but have historically lacked resources compared to departmental employers.
Since the 2010s, a fourth model has emerged with franchise-based leagues, most notably the Pakistan Super League in cricket or Super Kabaddi League, which operate on commercial contracts and media rights. The coexistence of departments, regions, clubs, and franchises has produced a hybrid and sometimes unstable sporting landscape, with policy shifts periodically reshaping the balance among these models.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is the national governing body of field hockey in Pakistan. The Pakistan Hockey Federation Women Wing (PHFWW) is the official organization of women's field hockey in Pakistan.
The Pakistan national field hockey team has won 3 gold medals at the Olympic Games, and lifted the Hockey World Cup 4 times, being the country with most World Cups till the present. It has also won the most Asian gold medals and is the only Asian team to have won the prestigious Champions Trophy with 3 titles. It used to be consistently ranked among the top teams in the world. However, lately, there has been a decline in results, with the national team failing to qualify for both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. The hockey team also failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup. Also, because of the PHF's poor economy, there were two years without any international matches between 2019 and 2021. PHF secretary lamented over lack of funding could even ban Pakistan hockey team. As of December 2022 the team is ranked 16th in the world. Notable players include World-Record holder Waseem Ahmed, Mohammed Saqlain, and Sohail Abbas.
The origin of football in Pakistan can be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century when the game was introduced during the British Raj. Shortly after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the Pakistan Football Federation was created, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah became its first Patron-in-Chief.
Pakistan's football team has won two gold medals at the South Asian Games, in 1989 and 1991, and secured a bronze medal in 1987. In regional competition, Pakistan achieved third place at the 1997 SAFF Championship (then known as the SAFF Gold Cup). Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad has long served as the primary home ground for the Pakistan national football team, and the country hosted the 2014 SAFF Women's Championship at the venue. Pakistan also hosted the 1993 SAARC Gold Cup and the 2005 SAFF Gold Cup.
From 1948 to 2003, the National Football Championship was held in Pakistan. After 2003, it was replaced by the Pakistan Premier League. However, due to the lack of professional football clubs, football was mainly held on amateur basis. As the global popularity of football surged, the sport's standing in Pakistan deteriorated. Some of the reasons for this decline was the administration's lack of attention to football and the departmental system running in Pakistan, which was abolished in other countries after the 1960s. However Lahore based Wohaib FC emerged as a leading club of the country in the early 1990s and became the first Pakistani club to pass the qualifying round of the Asian Club Championship, doing so in the 1992–93 edition. The Pakistan Football Federation also faced several bans by FIFA during the years. Nonetheless, the sport gained popularity in the 21st century. The Pakistan National Football Challenge Cup is the national "knockout" cup competition in Pakistani football, run by the Pakistan Football Federation. The Pakistan National Women's Football Championship is the annual women's championship.
Futsal is a growing sport in Pakistan. In 2023, the Pakistan Football Federation launched the National Futsal Cup, the first nationwide futsal competition organised under its authority. The event was structured as a five-phase regional circuit, with separate tournaments for men and women held in Lahore, Quetta, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Karachi. The Pakistan national futsal team was formed in 2025 when Pakistan participated in the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers for the first time.
Ball hockey
The Pakistan national ball hockey team is primarily composed of Canadian Pakistanis, born in Canada or with links to that nation. The sport is growing in the South Asian community there. Pakistan competed for the first time at the World Championships in 2009. They finished 3rd out of 4 in Group B behind only Bermuda and ice hockey giants Finland, and ahead of Cayman Islands. In the next world championships, they also participated and were champions of their group after defeating France in extra time. The Pakistan national ball hockey team is developing and improving, and in 2013 were awarded Pool A status, competing for gold in St. John's, Newfoundland.
Basketball was introduced to Pakistan around 1900 and is especially popular in Lahore and Karachi. The Pakistan Basketball Federation has been part of FIBA since 1958. Six teams play in the Pakistan first division. The National Women's Basketball Championship is the Women's Basketball tournament.
The Pakistan men's national handball team is one of the most successful handball team of South Asia, winning 2 gold and 1 silver medal at the South Asian Games. Pakistan won gold in the 2010 and 2019 edition of the South Asian Games beating India by 37–31 and 30–29 respectively. In the 2016 edition, Pakistan were beaten 32–31 by the hosts India.
The Pakistan Rugby Union was formally established in 2000 and gained memberships with the Asian Rugby Football Union in 2000. In 2003, Pakistan fielded a national team for the first time, participating in the Provincial Tournament in Sri Lanka. In November 2004, it participated in the 19th Asian Championship in Hong Kong. The Pakistan Rugby Union then became an associate member of the International Rugby Board (IRB).
The latest landmark for Pakistan rugby is that universities like Lahore University of Management and Sciences (LUMS) and Bahria University Islamabad have formed teams as well.
Volleyball enjoys huge popularity in small towns and villages across Pakistan, particularly in the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Most players of the Pakistani volleyball team hail from this region.
Pakistan's men's volleyball team has a strong record in regional competitions, winning bronze at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta and achieving multiple medals in the South Asian Games including gold in 1989 in Islamabad and 1993 in Dhaka, silver in 1987 in Calcutta, 1991 in Colombo, 1995 in Madras, 1999 in Kathmandu, 2004 in Islamabad, 2010 in Dhaka and 2019 in Kathmandu, and bronze in 2006 in Colombo and 2016 in Guwahati. Pakistan also won silver medals at the AVC Men's Volleyball Cup in Isa Town in 2024 and in Manama in 2025. In the Central Asian Volleyball Association competitions, Pakistan secured gold at the 2022 Championship in Lahore, 2024 and 2026 in Islamabad, and won bronze at the 2025 tournament in Fergana.
Usman Khan during the Show Jumping Phase at Asia Pacific Championship in Sydney.
Equestrianism had traditionally been limited to the upper-echelon of Pakistani society up until the end of the 20th century. The Equestrian Federation of Pakistan (EFP) is the national governing body to promote and develop equestrian sports in Pakistan.
Usman Khan is recognized as the first Pakistani equestrian to reach the Minimum Eligibility Requirements for the Olympic Games. His international record includes two gold medals, four silver medals and one bronze at the FEI events, making him one of Pakistan’s most accomplished riders in an Olympic equestrian discipline. In the 2004 Athens Olympics, a US-based Pakistani Rider Nadeem Noon won a place as a wild card entry but he missed out after his horse got injured.
Usman topped the FEI Middle East & Africa Eventing Rankings, taking Pakistan to No. 1 in the region in the 2025 World Rankings and securing qualification for the 2026 Asian Games. He made history as Pakistan's first rider to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in eventing with his horse Azad Kashmir. His Olympic qualification was later affected when Azad Kashmir died in 2020, as qualification is earned by a rider and horse together. In 2021, a second horse, Kasheer, died following a tragic, fatal fall at an Olympic qualifier, where Usman was also injured. Usman previously qualified for the 2014, 2018 and the 2022 Asian Games but on all occasions, he couldn't get the funding required to fly his horse to those events. Despite these setbacks, Khan continues to compete internationally.
Sardar Fateh Khan made history by winning Pakistan's only equestrian medal at the Asian Games, a silver in tent pegging at the 1982 Asian Games. In January 1984, Pakistan fielded a team of Sardar Fateh Khan, Al Mustafa Imam, Malik Asif Yar Tiwana, Amer Munawar, and Mian Asad Hayat to win the Nehru Cup in Calcutta. In 2003–2004, Pakistani riders achieved notable success at the Grand World Championship and World Championship, with Al Mustafa Imam winning gold and Amir Munawar taking silver.
Polo is believed to have originated in Persia, and continues to be an important sport within the country with several large annual competitions.
The annual Shandur Polo Festival is an international event attended by enthusiasts from all over the world. The Shandur Polo Ground besides Shandur Pass is the world's highest, at approximately 3,734 metres (12,251ft). The governing body of polo in Pakistan is the Pakistan Polo Association. There are more than twenty-one polo clubs in Pakistan and over forty polo championships held all over the country every year. Pakistan has qualified for the preliminary rounds of the World Polo Championship four times in 2004, 2011, 2015 and 2022. Pakistan's Hissam Ali Haider is the highest cap played in the Asian circuit. He has played for Cartier in the St. Moritz Snow Polo World Cup and the Commonwealth team in the Royal Salute Coronation Cup, both of which were won by his team.
Tent pegging is a popular sport in Pakistan. It is also locally named neza bazi. The Equestrian & Tent Pegging Federation of Pakistan, formed in 2014, is the highest governing body who organizes the sport in Pakistan. Various clubs across the country also organize an event as well. The sport is the major event of the National Horse & Cattle Show held at Fortress Stadium Lahore. Pakistanis compete in various international events notably the World Cup which commenced in 2014.
Pakistan has a notable early history in Asian badminton, having won bronze medals in the 1962 Asian Championships and the 1978 Asian Games, marking some of the country's most significant team achievements on the continental stage.
In 1979, Pakistan competed in the World Championships organized by the World Badminton Federation (WBF), a rival organization to the International Badminton Federation (now the Badminton World Federation, BWF). At this event, Pakistan secured a silver medal in men's singles and a bronze medal in the men's team competition. The WBF later ceased operations in 1981 and merged with the IBF.
Pakistan made limited appearances in major mixed-team global competitions, participating in the Sudirman Cup in 1993, 1995, and 1997, though the team was eliminated at the group stage in all three editions. After a long absence from the international spotlight, Pakistan returned to elite competition by participating in the 2018 and the 2022 Commonwealth Games event through a bipartite invitation.
Pakistan made its Olympic badminton debut at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, when Mahoor Shahzad represented the nation in the women's singles discipline after receiving a Tripartite Commission invitation. This marked Pakistan's first-ever Olympic qualification in badminton, with Mahoor Shahzad becoming the first Pakistani badminton player to compete at the Olympic Games.
Jahangir Khan, widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time.
Squash is a popular sport that has a large following in Pakistan, with Pakistan dominating the sport for some time. The World Open professional championship was inaugurated in 1976 and serves as the main competition today.
Jansher Khan won the World Open eight times, and the British Open six times. From 1990 until 1996, he remained unbeaten in 81 matches for consecutive six years. This longest-winning matches streak in Squash history was recorded by Guinness World Records. Jahangir Khan won the World Open title six times, and the British Open title ten times (1982–1991), and is widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time, and one of the greatest sportsmen in Pakistan history. From 1981 to 1986, Khan was unbeaten and during that time he won 555 consecutive matches – the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sport as recorded by Guinness World Records.
Combined they have won 14 world opens, making Pakistan the most decorated Squash nation in the world. Pakistani players have won the Squash World Open 17 times, and British Open 12 times, the highest by any nation.
The Pakistan Table Tennis Federation runs the sport in the country. Farjad Saif became the first Pakistani table tennis player to compete at the Olympics, representing Pakistan at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He performed strongly and finished the tournament ranked 25th in the world. Saif also holds a record 13 national titles and is the only player to win the national championship seven times in a row.
Arif Khan is widely regarded as Pakistan's greatest table tennis player. He represented the country from 1974 to 1998, competing in four Asian Games, eight World Championships, and eight Asian Championships. He achieved Pakistan's highest-ever world ranking of 67th in 1984–85 and remains the only Pakistani to reach the Asian Championships quarter-finals. He won back-to-back men's singles gold medals at the 1987 (Kolkata) and 1989 (Islamabad) SAF Games, and a mixed doubles gold with Nazo Shakoor at the 1989 Islamabad Games making him the only Pakistani to win an individual table tennis gold at the SAF Games. He was a three-time national singles champion (1983, 1987, 1993) and received the Pride of Performance award from the Government of Pakistan in 1990. He later served as ITTF course conductor and national team coach across multiple countries.
The Pakistan Davis Cup team have previously reached the world group play-offs, with the help of Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, currently Pakistan's number one, and Aqeel Khan, the number two. Tennis events are very rare in Pakistan and there is hardly an international tennis event, apart from ATP tournaments.
In 2026, Pakistan experienced a significant resurgence in tennis, marked by historic milestones on both the international and home fronts. In October, the country hosted the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group III (B) for the first time ever, where the national women's team made a sensational home debut by sweeping Bahrain 3-0 at the PTF Tennis Complex. Pakistan finished as runners-up after defeating Bhutan 3-0, then top seeds Maldives 2-1 before falling 2-0 to Iran in the final. This was complemented by the successful revival of international women's circuits in Islamabad, notably hosting the W15 Islamabad World Tennis Women's Championships, which attracted 31 players from over 17 countries competing for WTA ranking points. During this period, Ushna Suhail and Mahin Aftab also made history by securing Pakistan's first-ever World Tennis Futures doubles title. On the men's side, the national team demonstrated continued competitiveness by securing a dominant 5-0 sweep against Senegal in their Davis Cup tie earlier in February 2026.
Parveen Ahmed was the first Pakistani woman to compete at a Grand Slam tennis tournament.
Individual sports
Archery
The Pakistan Archery Federation is the governing body to develop and promote the game of archery in Pakistan. It is based in Lahore, and was founded in 1996. It was admitted into the World Archery Federation in 2005. Pakistan Archery Federation organizes National Archery Championship annually. Archery competitions are also a regular part of the National Games.
Mounted archery
Mohammad Omer Saleem, a graduate of LUMS, has become Pakistan's first-ever horseback archer. He is also the official representative of the World Horseback Archery Federation (WHAF) in Pakistan.
Saleem represented Pakistan in the 16th World Horseback Archery Championship 2021 held in Tehran, Iran. He was placed at 18th in the Qabaq Track, 19th in the Kassai Track and 20th in the Korean Serial Track out of 45, including qualifiers. He broke the record for the highest score of any first-time participating country.
Mohammed Ayub Qureshi is a lawn and indoor bowler who represented Pakistan in the nation's debut lawn bowls team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, a historic milestone for a country where the sport was relatively unknown. Though he did not secure medal, his participation helped put Pakistan on the lawn bowls map and inspired greater interest in the sport domestically and among the South Asian diaspora. He also competed in the 10th Asian Lawn Bowls Championship and the 2022 and 2025 World Bowls Indoor Championships, and is a two-time club champion in Glasgow. He once again represented Pakistan at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, competing in both men's singles and pairs alongside Maqsood Wasim Khan.
In Pakistan, chess is played throughout the country, mostly in the Mughal style which is slightly different from the international style, but the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) organizes its tournaments in the international style, and according to the established rules. The FIDE has awarded the International Master title to Shahzad Mirza and Mahmood Lodhi.
The Pakistan Cycling Federation is the governing body of cycling in Pakistan. The Tour de Pakistan International Cycling Race starts from Karachi and ends in Peshawar, with about 150 domestic and international cyclists taking part every year. This race is among the largest of such events in Asia, covering a distance of 1,648km in eleven stages with four days of rest en route. Teams from WAPDA, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Railways, and Sui Southern Gas Company, along with teams of the four provinces regularly take part in domestic and international cycling tournaments. Women's cycling also takes place in the country. Other events are the Tour of Islamabad and the MTB Tour of the Himalayas.
Pakistan has won a total of three cycling medals in Asian Games history, all achieved during the sport's domestic golden era at the 1958 Tokyo Games. At those Games, the legendary Muhammad Shahrukh led the contingent by winning an individual Bronze Medal in the Match Sprint, a Silver Medal in the Tandem event alongside Saleem Farooqi, and another Silver Medal in the Team Pursuit alongside teammates Muhammad Ashiq, Abdul Razzaq Baloch and G. H. Baloch. These remain Pakistan's only Asian Games cycling medals to date, as the country has not won a cycling medal at the Games since. However, modern riders like Ali Ilyas have recently kept the sport alive by winning continental gold at the separate Asian Road Cycling Championships.
Pakistan has qualified for the Golf World Cup a total of 4 times, in 1975, 1977, 1982, and recently in 2009, when they finished joint 22nd out of the 28 qualifying teams. The Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) run golf in Pakistan. Karachi Golf Club is one of the oldest in the country and it is where the Pakistan Open takes place. The Pakistan Open was founded in 1967 and became an Asian Tour event in 2006. Chris Rodgers won the Pakistan Open in 2006. The 2007 event was held in January and had an increased prize money purse of $330,000 US. Taimur Hussain has been Pakistan's most successful golfer, as he won the 1998 Myanmar Open, becoming the first Pakistani to win on the Asian Tour.
Khurram Inam, a seasoned Pakistani skeet shooter and three-time Olympian (2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens, 2012 London) is known for representing Pakistan on the world stage over many years.
Muhammad Khalil Akhtar, a veteran pistol shooter who was the flag-bearer for Pakistan at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He won a bronze medal at the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games and has consistently represented Pakistan at major platforms including the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
Colonel Farrukh Nadeem won gold in the men's individual trap event at the 2026 Asian Shotgun Championships in Doha, scoring 119/125 in qualifying and 27/30 in the final to set new world and Asian records under the updated format, winning Pakistan's first-ever gold in Asian shotgun shooting.
The Ski Federation of Pakistan, created in December 1990, runs the sport. Despite being a country with many mountains, the sport has never taken off until the late 1990s. Up until then, it was only done by the Pakistan Army. Now there have been facilities put in place so that the sport can be played, and the Ski Federation of Pakistan now sends out teams to international tournaments.
Amina Wali is a notable alpine skier and she remained national champion for 15 years. Ifrah Wali made history by becoming the first winner of the Giant Slalom event at any South Asian Winter Games when she won gold at the inaugural games held in India.
Mia Nuriah Freudweiler represented Pakistan at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics, marking the country's debut at the Winter Youth Olympics. Competing in alpine skiing, she finished 46th in the Super-G and 30th in the Alpine Combined events.
The Motorsport Association of Pakistan (MAP) is a member of the Federation Internationale de L'Automobile FIA. The Pakistan National Karting Championship was the first motor racing circuit competition in Pakistan and is used to develop rookie drivers. The Freedom Rally is a yearly off-road race that takes place during the Independence celebrations.
Nur B. Ali was the first Pakistani Racing driver and Co-founded the MAP. He drives in the ARCA RE/MAX Series and is a former two-time Southwest Formula Mazda Regional Series champion. Ali was also the driver of the A1GP Team Pakistan in 2006. Syed Ovais Naqvi is the first local and homegrown professional Pakistani Racecar Driver and he is also the first Pakistani to acquire the International B Racing license, he also co-founded the MAP and is the General Secretary of the body. Ovais was also responsible for putting together the Pakistan National Karting Championship. Omer Younas is currently racing in the Formula BMW Pacific and Adnan Sarwar races in Formula Rolon. In 2005, the A1 Team Pakistan was run by Adam Langley-Khan, Khan remained the Team Pakistan driver until 2008. He also drives in the Euroseries 3000.
Off-road rally is one of the most visible forms of motorsport in Pakistan. Major off-road and desert rally events include the Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally, The Thal Desert Rally and The Jhal Magsi Desert Challenge which are held on desert and off-road terrain in various parts of Pakistan, rural and developing.
A Pakistani female participant at the International Cholistan Desert Rally 2025
Off-road rallying in Pakistan boasts one of the largest competitive distances with the 19th international Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally spanning over 500 km and three districts Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahimyarkhan.
The 19th Edition of the Rally was won by Zain Mahmood with a time of 03:56:54 and Dina Rohinton Patel along with her navigator Ali Aden with a time of 01:07:42.
Mountaineering
With the greatest concentration of the highest peaks of the world many of the mountains have very challenging climbs. Pakistan is a prime location for skilled mountain climbers. Five peaks are over 8,000 meters. The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) founded in 1974, is the national mountaineering and climbing federation. Chiltan Adventurers Association Balochistan is the major affiliated unit of ACP founded in 1984. Nazir Sabir, Ashraf Aman, Hayatullah Khan Durrani, Lt.Col Abdul Jabbar Bhatti, Col Sher Khan, and Meherban Karim are Pakistan's most experienced mountaineers.
Pakistan Alpine Institute is the pioneer of "big wall climbing" in Pakistan. Pakistan's First Big Wall Climbing Expedition has been completed by Imran Junaidi and Usman Tariq in September 2013.
Samina Baig is the first Pakistani woman and the third Pakistani to climb Mount Everest. She is also the youngest Muslim woman to climb Everest, having done so at the age of 21. Samina is also the first Pakistani woman and the first Muslim to climb the seven summits. Naila Kiani is the first Pakistani woman to summit 12 of the 14 eight-thousanders. She is one of the ten mountaineers worldwide and the only Pakistani who climbed multiple (7 peaks) above 8000m in less than six months. Kiani is also the fastest Pakistani (male or female) to climb all twelve 8,000-metre peaks in less than three years.
Pakistan became the first country in Asia to launch a dedicated Masters Weightlifting Association, solidifying its rising influence on the international weightlifting map. The PMWA fielded a team at the inaugural Asian Masters Championship in Doha in 2025. The 2nd Asian Masters Weightlifting Championship and World Masters Grand Prix 2026 were held from 20 to 25 October at the Liaquat Gymnasium in Islamabad, featuring around 250 athletes from 21 countries.
Pakistan has won multiple medals at the Olympic, Asian and the Commonwealth Games. Quetta born Haider Ali won gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games as a Featherweight and went on to become a professional boxer. Hussain Shah won the bronze medal in the Middleweight division at the 1988 Summer Olympics, becoming the country's first ever and to date the only Olympic boxing medalist. He was South Asia's first boxer to win any medal in Olympic boxing. Shah, who has also to his credit five consecutive gold in the South Asian Games, remained the best boxer of Asia from 1980 to 1988, a rare prominence achieved by any Pakistani pugilist so far. Asghar Ali Shah is a two-time Olympian with 13 gold and 10 silver medals at international level, including a silver at the 2002 Asian Games and gold at the 2005 Asian Championships. Muhammad Waseem won bronze and silver medals at the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games and became the first Boxer in South Asia to challenge for a world title, and the first to be ranked in the top 20. He also won a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games. Mehrullah Lassi is best known for winning a gold medals at the 2002 Asian Games, 2005 Asian Championships and a silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He represented Pakistan at the 2004 Summer Olympics and served as the country's flag-bearer in the closing ceremony.
Fatima Zahra won a bronze medal at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games, becoming the first Pakistani woman to claim an international multi-sport boxing medal. She won another bronze medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, becoming Pakistan's first female Commonwealth Games medalist and the first Pakistani woman to win a boxing medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Pakistan had won a medal in every Asian Games kabaddi competition until the 2026 edition, where it failed to finish on the podium.
Pakistan won bronze medals in the 1990 and 1994 Asian Games. In the 1998 edition, Pakistan bagged silver, losing to India in the final. Four years later, Pakistan won third place in 2002 Asian Games before losing gold to India by 35-23 in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. Pakistan came third in the next four editions of Asian Games in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. Pakistan became Asian champion in 2012 by beating India in the final of Circle Kabaddi Asia Cup after finishing as runner up in the previous edition. Pakistan became Asian champion for the second time in a row in 2016 after beating India by 50-31 in the final of the Circle Kabaddi Asian Cup. Pakistan has won three medals at the Asian Kabaddi Championship, including two silver medals in 2005 at Tehran and in 2017 at Gorgan and one bronze medal in 2000 at Colombo. Pakistan became champions of South Asia in 1993 by beating archrival India in the final. It was the only time Pakistan became champions of South Asia. After that Pakistani team played as finalists six times and won bronze medals four times but never won another championships.
In 2016, Pakistan became Asian Beach Games champion after beating India by 30-28 in the finals. It was the first title of Pakistan in the Asian Beach Games and before that Pakistan finished as runner up for four times. Pakistan also won a bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Beach Games.
Pakistan secured a silver medal at the inaugural 2024 World Beach Kabaddi Championship in Bandar Anzali, Iran, after losing to the hosts in the final.
Anita Karim is the first international female Mixed Martial Arts fighter from Pakistan to win multiple national and international-level bouts. Manesha Ali won gold for Pakistan at the MMA World Cup in Angola.
Asim Khan made history by becoming the first Pakistani MMA fighter to win a medal at the Asian Games, clinching bronze in the Men's modern 60 kg on the sport's debut at the 2026 edition in Aichi-Nagoya after falling in the semi-final.
Taekwondo
The Pakistan Taekwondo Federation is the national governing body to develop and promote the sport of Taekwondo in Pakistan. Taekwondo was introduced in Pakistan by Korean Consulate in Karachi in 1962. The federation was established in 1977 and granted affiliation by World Taekwondo. In 1982, the federation was affiliated with the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).
It is a regular part of the biannual National Games. The federation organizes the annual National Taekwondo Championship.
Judo
The Pakistan Judo Federation is the governing body to develop and promote the game of Judo in Pakistan. The federation is based in Peshawar.
Shah Hussain Shah is Pakistan's most accomplished judoka, boasting an impressive record of international medals. He won two bronze medals at the Asian Judo Championships and two gold medals at the South Asian Games. At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Shah narrowly lost to Scotland's Euan Burton in the -100kg division finals, securing a silver medal. He added another bronze medal to his collection at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. A trailblazer for Pakistan, Shah made history by becoming the first judoka from the country to qualify for the Olympic Games, representing Pakistan at both the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
Gama Pahalwan is the best Indian/Pakistani wrestler in history.
Wrestling has always been an important sport in Pakistan, with regular tournaments played locally. Gama Pahalwan was an undefeated World Wrestling Champion from Pakistan. Gama Pahalwan's nephew Bholu Pahalwan also represented Pakistan in wrestling.
The Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) is the national governing body of the sport of Wrestling in Pakistan.
Wushu has grown rapidly into a highly successful combat sport in Pakistan. The sport is officially managed by the Pakistan Wushu Federation, which was established to develop and organize martial arts nationwide. The federation organizes the annual National Wushu Championship and holds regular events at the National Games.
Abubakar Durrani and Shoaib Khilji are Pakistan National Kayaking Champions.
The Pakistan Canoe and Kayak Federation is the only official governing body of canoe and kayak sports in Pakistan. The headquarters of PCKF is based in the Hayat Durrani Water Sports Academy at Hanna LakeQuetta, one of the major canoe / kayak paddling and Rowing center in Pakistan. PCKF is affiliated on international level with International Canoe Federation International Canoe Federation (ICF) and on Asian level with Asian Canoe Confederation (ACC), and on National level recognised with Pakistan Sports Board. The Kayaking National Champions Mohammad Abubakar Durrani, Mohammad Shoaib Khilji, and Farhanullah Kakar belong to HDWSA and Pakistan Customs Canoe & Kayak team Quetta.
Rowing
Karachi and Quetta are the major centers of rowing in Pakistan. The National Rowing Championship is the major national event of rowing in the country. The Pakistan Rowing Federation was a founding member of the Asian Rowing Federation. Although Pakistani rowers take part in events, it is considered a minority sport. Rowers like Ali Hassan, Maqbool Ali, Zohaib Zia Hashmi, and Muhammad Asad Khan have won medals at international events and in International School Rowing events. Junior Rowers from Balochistan, such as Mehardil Khan Baabai and Mirwaise Khan Baabai won many medals. Muhammad Akram and Zahid Ali Pirzada, Hazrat Islam competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in the single sculls and lightweight double sculls events, respectively.
In May 2025, Mohammad Shehzad, a 64-year-old rower, won a gold medal in the 60+ singles category at the Asian Indoor Rowing Championships held in Pattaya, Thailand. Shehzad defeated Indian competitor James Joseph and set a new Asian record with a time of 1:32.30. His victory was celebrated nationally, including by his daughter, Mahoor Shahzad, an Olympian who represented Pakistan at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Pakistan had a strong showing at the championship, securing a total of 14 medals — 10 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze. The event, held from May 26 to 31, featured competitions on indoor rowing machines such as the Concept2 ergometer. Other notable Pakistani performers included Abdul Jabbar and Tayyab Iftikhar, who contributed to the country's medal tally.
Sailing
The Pakistan Sailing Federation is the national body, with Karachi and Balochistan Sailing/Yachting Associations as its major units. Byram Dinshawji Avari, Commodore of Karachi Yacht Club in 1976 and 1980, won gold medals for Pakistan at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, and again at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. Goshpi Avari won the medal with her husband, Byram, at the 1982 Games. She was the first and, until 2010, the only Pakistani woman to have won a gold medal at a major international competition. She also became the first woman in the world to win an Asian Games gold medal in this category. Byram D. Avari also won a silver medal at the Enterprise World Championship held in Canada in 1978. In 2004, Mohammad Tanveer of Pakistan won a silver medal in the Mistral Asian Championship held in Bombay. Shazli Tahir won silver and Junaid Ahmed won a bronze medal in the first CAS International Sailing Championship in April 2008. Muhammad Zakaullah represented Pakistan at numerous international events and won gold medals at the 1986 Asian Games and 1990 Asian Games. Munir Sadiq sailed into the record books in 1998 Asian Games, as his silver medal in the open enterprise class made him the first sailor to win five medals in the Asian Games. He had previously won three gold medals in the enterprise class in 1978, 1986 and 1990, as well as a silver in the same class in 1994. Khalid Akhtar won a gold medal during the 1982 Asian Games in the OK Dinghy. Other notable sailors who competed at the Olympics include Arshad Choudhry, Javed Rasool and Mamoon Sadiq.
↑Waraich, Omar (11 February 2014). "Where soccer gets made". The Far Post. Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
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