Abdul Jabbar Faisal
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Netball Federation (PNF) officials circulated confusing, misleading, and false information to social and top national media organizations regarding the Asian Youth Netball Championship 2025, which was held in Korea. They claimed that the junior national team clinched the final after beating the Maldives by 60-35 goals at Jeonju Hwasan Gymnasium, Jeonju-si, South Korea.
On this ambiguous information, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif congratulated team players and officials for their performance, as the facts were entirely different and Pakistani players were in 6th position instead of first. Singapore were the champion of this international fixture.
The scribe attempted to contact Chairman PNF, Muddasir Arain, but his cell phone (+923219229711) was switched off. However, a voice note was sent to him at his WhatsApp number, but he did not clarify the situation.
Update (PSB Seeks Clarification from PNF within three days):
According to spokesman for Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), Khurram Shahzad, PSB has expressed serious reservations over the Pakistan Netball Federation's (PNF) claim that the Pakistan Youth Girls Team secured “first position” in the Asian Youth Netball Championship 2025, and asked to submit a written explanation within three days.
A letter issued by PSB, reference was made to PNF's letter (No. PNF/PSB/AYNC-2025 dated July 9, 2025), in which the federation claimed the team had secured first place. According to PSB, the claim was worded in a manner that created the impression of a gold medal victory.
The board also raised concerns that PNF Chairman Mudassar Razzaq Arain reinforced this misleading impression during televised interviews on mainstream media, where he explicitly referred to a gold medal win and publicly thanked senior government officials for their appreciation. A viral video of such an interview was also referenced in the official notice.
According to PSB, this purported achievement was used by the federation to apply for cash rewards under the 2024 Cash Award Policy, which subsequently led to government-level recognition and benefits.
