TABLE TENNIS
Table tennis is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth across a table using a small racket. The table is separated by a net and a point is scored when a player fails to return the ball within the rules. 'Ping-pong' is a trademark name invented for table tennis in the late 1800s along with names like whiff-whaff.
Money alone can't help nations win medals. It is definitely one of the important ingredients but in addition one needs a motivator to achieve the desired results. Pakistan started competing in the world championships in it's infancy but it was after the formation of Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) that the frequency of competitions increased. During the period, Sibtain, Vice President of Pakistan Table Tennis Federation, left no stone unturned and the Pakistan team was amongst the front runners in Asia. Pakistan has hosted many sports events but the largest to be ever held was seventh Asian Table Tennis Championship at Islamabad in 1984 that saw participation of 20 nations including the hosts heralded a new dawn and marked the inauguration of the Liaquat Gymnasium.Karachi has mostly earned the lion's share in the formation of Pakistan's national team. Many clubs have been formed for the purpose of increasing table tennis activities in pakistan like Islamia club, Sharfabad club and Amroha club.
Majeed khan, the founding secretary of Islamia club, was a true motivator for table tennis and provided a platform for regular healthy competitions to youth so that they could make their mark. Arif khan, son of majeed khan, is one of the most accomplished Table Tennis players the nation has produced to date. Pakistan Table Tennis Federation, formed in 1951, is a national governing body to develop the sport of table tennis in th country. It carried out various activities for the promotion of table tennis which bore fruit in the form of medals won through Pakistan male team, female team and team of boys under 15. It's affiliations are with organisations like International Table Tennis Federation and Pakistan Olympic Association. This organisation is responsible for starting a gloden era of table tennis in Pakistan.