Muhammad Shafiq

Muhammad Shafiq (Urdu: محمد شفیق‎; born 11 November 1953) is a Pakistani sports administrator and former track and field sprinter. He is 3rd and current Secretary General of Asian Handball Federation (AHF) since 25 October 2013.[1] He is also holds the position of President in Pakistan Handball Federation since 2012.[2]

Muhammad Shafiq
Urdu: محمد شفیق‎
3rd Secretary General of Asian Handball Federation
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 October 2013
President	Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah
Preceded by	Dr. Roshan Lal Anand
Treasurer of Pakistan Olympic Association
Incumbent
Assumed office 4 February 2012
President	Syed Arif Hasan
Preceded by	Major Muhammad Afzal
3rd President of Pakistan Handball Federation
Incumbent
Assumed office December 2012
Preceded by	Syed Muhammad Abid Qadri
1st & 3rd Secretary General of Pakistan Handball Federation
In office February 2007 – December 2012
President	Syed Muhammad Abid Qadri
Preceded by	Muhammad Saleem Akhter
Succeeded by	Khalid Rashid
In office April 1985 – December 2004
President	Ahsan Alam
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	Muhammad Fahim
Personal details
Born	November 11, 1953 Lyallpur, West Punjab, Dominion of Pakistan (present-day Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan)
Nationality	Pakistani
Education	M. Sc. in Health and Physical Education, M. Sc. in Rural Sociology, Sports Specialisation Course (Athletics Coach)
Alma mater	University of the Punjab University of Agriculture, Faisalabad University of Mainz Gomal University
Profession	Sports administrator
Awards	IHF Badge of Merit in Gold (2009)
Religion	Sunni Islam

Early life and education

Muhammad Shafiq was born on 11 November 1953 in Lyallpur, Dominion of Pakistan (now Faisalabad, Pakistan). He started both his educational and athletics career from Muslim High School, Tariqabad, Lyallpur where he completed his secondary school in 1970. After that he got enrolled to Government Degree College, Lyallpur where first he completed his higher secondary education in 1972 and after that obtained his bachelor's degree in 1975. The college was then affiliated to University of the Punjab, Lahore.

He completed his Master of Science degree in Rural Sociology from University of Agriculture, Faisalabad in 1981 and then his Master of Science degree in Health and Physical Education from Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan in 1990. He had also done a Sports Specialization Course (Athletics trainer) from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany in 1982.

Sports administration

Asian Handball Federation

Shafiq entered in Asian Handball Federation (AHF) in 1986, he previously holds the position of member in AHF Development & Publicity Commission (1992 – 1996) and AHF Playing Rules and Referees Commission (1996 – 2000) before being elected to AHF Council as Chairman of AHF Under Development Countries Commission (2004 – 2009) and then as Chairman of AHF Commission of Youth and School Handball (2009 – 2013). On 25 October 2013, he succeeded Indian sports administrator Dr. Roshan Lal Anand and was elected as AHF Secretary General.[3]

Pakistan Handball Federation

Shafiq is founder of handball in Pakistan. He is also the co-founder of Pakistan Handball Federation (PHF) in April 1985 and was elected as its Secretary General.[4] He is the longest serving PHF Secretary General, holding the position for 24 years from 1985 – 2004 and then from 2007 – 2012. Currently, he is PHF President since December 2012.[5][6] Under his leadership, the performance of Pakistan men's national handball team and Pakistan national beach handball team are at their best as they won many medals which includes gold medal in 2nd edition of Asian Beach Handball Championship 2007 held at Bandar Abbas, gold medal in 1st Asian Beach Games 2008 held at Bali, and gold medals in 2010 and 2019 editions of the South Asian Games.[7]

Others

Shafiq also held various positions in other sports federations which includes Treasurer of Pakistan Olympic Association since February 2012 to till date.[8][9] He was elected as Vice-President (1991 – 2000; 2009 – 2013) and Secretary General (2000 – 2009) of South Asian Handball Federation. He is a Member of Working Group of Commonwealth Handball Association and National Course Director of Pakistan NOC. He is also a member of International Track and Field Coaches Association since 1985.

Personal life and occupation

Shafiq is married and has one wife and four children, two daughters and two sons. He is fluent in English, Urdu and Punjabi and also speaks a little bit of German.

In 1978, he joined National Bank of Pakistan and served there till 1981. In 1981, he was appointed as national athletics coach at Pakistan Sports Board where he served till his resignation in 1983. In June 1985, he started serving as Assistant Director of Sports at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. In December 1990, he was promoted to Director of Sports and served in this position till his retirement on 10 November 2013. During his tenure University of Agriculture, Faisalabad won All-Pakistan Inter-Universities Sports Championships All Round Trophy (Men) in 2005.[10][11]

Athletics career

Shafiq was a renowned middle distance athlete of Pakistan in the late 1970s up to his retirement in mid 1980s, winning various medals in National Games of Pakistan and other International tournaments. He also participated in World Masters Athletics Championships after retirement from athletics. Following table shows his achievements in the athletics:

Competition	Event	Venue	Position	Ref.
1976 National Games of Pakistan	3000m SC	Karachi	Gold Medal
1977 National Athletics Championship	3000m SC	Peshawar	Silver medal	[12]
1978 National Athletics Championship	3000m SC	Lahore	Silver medal	[13]
1979 National Athletics Championship	3000m SC	Rawalpindi	Silver medal	[14]
1980 National Games of Pakistan	1500 metres	Karachi	Gold medal
1980 National Games of Pakistan	3000m SC	Karachi	Gold medal
1981 International Sports Festival	3000m SC	Prien am Chiemsee	Gold medal
1995 World Masters Athletics Championships	800 metres	Buffalo	1st in Asia	[15]
1999 World Masters Athletics Championships	800 metres	Gateshead	1st in Asia
2001 World Masters Athletics Championships	1500 metres	Brisbane	1st in Asia

He was also appointed as coach-cum-manager of Pakistan Athletics team for 3 three months training-cum-competition tour of Germany in 1982 during which Habib Shah equalled Pakistan's 100 metres national record with the timing of 10.4 second and Muhammad Rashid Khan created new national record in Javelin throw with the distance of 76.36 m.

References

1. "Shafiq elected AHF secretary-general". Dawn Newspaper's Website. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
2. "Shafiq re-elected Handball Federation president". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
3. "Shafiq elected AHF secretary-general". www.dawn.com. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
4. "History of Pakistan Handball". www.pakistanhandball.com. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
5. "Handball federation elects office-bearers". www.dawn.com. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
6. "Shafiq re-elected Handball Federation president". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
7. "Achievement". www.pakistanhandball.com. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
8. "Syed Arif Hasan elected Pakistan Olympic Association President for record fourth term". www.insidethegames.biz. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
9. "Arif set to be elected unopposed POA president for another term". www.geo.tv. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
10. "UAF VC Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan addresses the participants of closing ceremony of handball training course at UAF". www.uaf.edu.pk. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
11. "UAF Sports achievements 2008 to 2016" (PDF). www.uaf.edu.pk. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
12. "National Athletics Championship 1977". www.afp.com.pk. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
13. "National Athletics Championship 1978". www.afp.com.pk. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
14. "National Athletics Championship 1979". www.afp.com.pk. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
15. "Buffalo 1995.pdf". Google Docs. p. 23. Retrieved March 30, 2020.

External links