Our Unremembered Heroes

Blog By NEWSIFY PK:

As we passed the main entrance of the stadium, we were greeted by the guards at the entrance. One of the oldest multi-purpose sports facilities in Pakistan. It was the first West Pakistan cricket ground to host a Test match when it welcomed the Indian cricket team during India's inaugural tour of Pakistan in 1955.

As we approached the main porch, Uncle Sikandar pointed to a tall man with a wrinkled face, dressed in a gray shalwar kameez and a matching Sindhi hat, and said, "Oh, that's it." He was there, the legend himself; Motiullah Khan watches a group of youngsters play cricket in the cricket pavilion.

He likes the game he told me and he comes to the stadium every day. As I was introduced to him, I was told that he was hard of hearing so I would have to ask any questions, which made me really uncomfortable in the company of an Olympian. Not just an Olympian, but a key member of the hockey team that won Pakistan's first Olympic gold medal.

On the afternoon of September 9, 1960, Naseer Banda scored the opening goal against arch-rivals India and then the Pakistani defense stopped the countless Indian attacks and denied the seventh consecutive gold medal.

Excited to hear the stories of the great days of Pakistan hockey, I pulled up a chair right next to the legend. Motiullah Khan started by saying how happy he was to meet me. I was ashamed because happiness was mine but in all my excitement, I forgot my manners of thanking him for his time.

"I was happy with Ayub Khan," he said with a big smile on his face, explaining how the hockey team was honored at the national level on its return to Pakistan. He remembered how he had asked Field Marshal Ayub Khan to arrange a tour of Europe for the entire team as a reward for winning the gold medal, at the request of the General. Motiullah Khan was hesitant as he told me how he enjoyed his subsequent tour of 9 different European countries.

I wanted to hear more and so he compelled. He only said "twelve was a great match" about the final with India, repeating the same phrase a few times. I thought he would talk more about the Indian team and their challenge but instead, he chose to talk about Japan, how a Japanese athlete came to him after a gold medal match and Asked for his hockey. This is something they still remember, the honor and respect that the Japanese gave to the Pakistani team.

I was enjoying every moment with him, trying to capture every little detail of the stories he was telling me. I always wanted to play hockey in national colors, a dream I failed to fulfill but here I was with one of the most decorated hockey players in the country.

Suddenly I heard a few people screaming, there was a kind of mad rush and I felt special guests coming. The cricket match that Matiullah Khan was enjoying was the final of a local cricket tournament between the two schools. It was time to distribute medals among the winning and runner-up teams.

The administrator hurriedly told us to go to the side as the way was clear for the arrival of the chief guest, some random angry government officials in the finance department. Officials began to address the gathering, and by then I had been pushed into a corner, giving me a clear idea of ​​what was going on.

Standing there, I saw young enthusiastic athletes taking their medals from an angry government official who was more interested in showing off his presence and stature. While doing all this, a living legend of the game was sitting quietly in the corner with a big smile on his face, enjoying the game he loved the most.

Then I remembered the first conversation I had with Motiullah Khan during a brief meeting at a wedding in Lahore. I was 16 at the time and good at hockey, trying to make a place in the U-16 Pakistan hockey team. I still remember him putting his arm around my shoulder and saying to me, "There's nothing left in hockey.”

It took me another 16 years to figure out what that meant. I hope that as a nation we will learn to respect our heroes, only then will we be able to draw a more productive line.