Ace wrestler Inam appointed as PWF secretary

In a landmark decision, the Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) has elected wrestling legend Mohammad Inam as its Secretary General, marking a historic milestone with a true professional at the helm.

Inam, a former Beach Wrestling World Champion and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, was elected PWF secretary on Sunday. Meanwhile, former secretary and vice-president Arshad Sattar was elected as the new president of the federation.

Inam is a towering figure in Pakistan’s wrestling history. Alongside his athletic achievements, he holds an MBA degree from Punjab University and a Master’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Central Punjab.

“I am extremely honored to be elected as the new secretary of the PWF. I understand the responsibility this role carries and am grateful to the federation for placing their trust in me,” Inam told Nukta after his election. “The position of secretary is crucial and I will strive to meet expectations.”

Inam emphasized that his working relationship with Arshad Sattar would be highly productive.

“We have been working together for a long time and I believe our collaboration will continue smoothly. He has given me a free hand, encouraging me to take whatever steps are necessary for the betterment of wrestling. InshaAllah you will see a fresh approach to managing the sport,” Inam added.

Focusing on the future, Inam stressed that his top priority will be development at the grassroots level.

“Our current top wrestlers are nearing the end of their careers. We need to identify and nurture the next generation of talent. That is going to be our main focus,” he said.

The federation plans to field athletes in the upcoming Asian Youth Games in Bahrain this October, as well as other key events including the South Asian Games, Youth Olympics, and Asian Games.

“We want to build a strong team for these competitions,” Inam noted.

Inam also expressed his ambition to see Pakistani wrestlers compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics but emphasized that significant financial support from the government will be required.

“It’s a huge task. We do have athletes capable of qualifying but that will only happen if they receive sustained, high-quality training, both domestically and internationally,” he explained.

He suggested that a central training camp could be crucial to this goal.

“I believe our elite wrestlers should train at a single location. Most of them are based in Gujranwala, and I would like to bring Sharif Tahir (Lahore) and former Youth Olympics bronze medalist Inayatullah (Peshawar) to join us there. I also manage an academy in Gujranwala which could serve this purpose,” he said.

Inam also plans to collaborate with top wrestling nations to arrange overseas training camps for Pakistani athletes.

“We will reach out to the world’s top wrestling countries and try to secure training opportunities abroad,” he said, adding that consistent training is the key to long-term success.

Meanwhile newly-elected PWF President Arshad Sattar told Nukta that the federation has formally requested the government to support regular national training camps.

“If regular camps are approved you will see a noticeable improvement in the country’s wrestling standards,” Arshad said.

He also revealed that with assistance from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), four young wrestlers will soon be sent to Russia for a two-month training program.

“All the arrangements are in place. As soon as the formalities are completed, they will depart,” he confirmed.

Among the wrestlers selected for this overseas training are Abdullah, Abdur Rehman and Hasan Ali.