Muhammad Shafiq
Muhammad Shafiq
(Pakistan)
3rd Secretary General of Asian Handball Federation
(25th October 2013 – present)
Muhammad Shafiq is a Pakistani sports administrator and former middle-distance runner who has been the 3rd and current Secretary General of the Asian Handball Federation (AHF) since 25th October 2013.
Biography
Muhammad Shafiq was born on 11th November 1953 in Lyallpur, Dominion of Pakistan (now Faisalabad, Pakistan). He started both his educational and athletic careers at Muslim High School, Tariqabad, Lyallpur, where he completed his secondary school in 1970. After that, he enrolled at Government Degree College, Lyallpur, where he first completed his higher secondary education in 1972 and, after that, obtained his bachelor’s degree in 1975.
He completed his Master of Science degree in Rural Sociology from the 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.
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 the National Bank of Pakistan and served there till 1981. In 1981, he was appointed as national athletics coach at the Pakistan Sports Board, where he served till his resignation in 1983. In June 1985, he started serving as Assistant Director of Sports at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. In December 1990, he was promoted to Director of Sports and served in this position till his retirement on 10th November 2013. During his tenure, the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad won the All-Pakistan Inter-Universities Sports Championships All Round Trophy (Men) in 2005.
Shafiq was a renowned middle distance athlete in Pakistan in the late 1970s up to his retirement in the mid 1980s, winning various medals in the National Games of Pakistan and other international tournaments. He also participated in the World Masters Athletics Championships after his retirement from athletics. The following are some of his achievements in athletics:
- Gold medal in 3000m steeplechase event of 1976 Pakistan National Games held in Karachi
- Silver medal in 3000m steeplechase event of 1977 Pakistan National Athletics Championship held in Peshawar
- Silver medal in 3000m steeplechase event of 1978 Pakistan National Athletics Championship held in Lahore
- Silver medal in 3000m steeplechase event of 1979 Pakistan National Athletics Championship held in Rawalpindi
- Gold medal in 3000m steeplechase event of 1980 Pakistan National Games held in Karachi
- Gold medal in 1500m event of 1980 Pakistan National Games held in Karachi
- Gold medal in 3000m steeplechase event of 1981 International Sports Festival held in Prien am Chiemsee (West Germany)
- 1st in Asia in 800m event of 1995 World Masters Athletics Championships held in Buffalo (United States of America)
- 1st in Asia in 800m event of 1999 World Masters Athletics Championships held in Gateshead (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
- Participated in 1500m event of 2001 World Veterans Athletics Championships held in Brisbane (Australia)
He was also appointed as coach-cum-manager of the Pakistan Athletics team for a three-month training-cum-competition tour of West Germany in 1982, during which Habib Shah equalled Pakistan’s 100 metre national record with a timing of 10.4 seconds and Muhammad Rashid Khan created a new national record in javelin throw with a distance of 76.36 m.
Shafiq is the founder of handball in Pakistan. He is also the co-founder of the Pakistan Handball Federation (PHF) in April 1985 and was elected as its Secretary General. He is the longest-serving PHF Secretary General, holding the position for 24 years from 1985–2004 and then from 2007–2012. He has currently been PHF President since December 2012. Under his leadership, the performances of Pakistan’s men’s national handball team and Pakistan national beach handball team were at their best as they won many medals, which included a gold medal in the 2nd edition of the Asian Beach Handball Championship 2007, held at Bandar Abbas; a gold medal in the 1st Asian Beach Games 2008, held at Bali; and gold medals in the 2010 and 2019 editions of the South Asian Games.
Shafiq held various positions in sports organisations, which included the following:
- Treasurer of Commonwealth Handball Association (5 December 2021 – present)
- Secretary General of Asian Handball Federation (25 October 2013 – present)
- Treasurer of Pakistan Olympic Association (4 February 2012 – present)
- President of Pakistan Handball Federation (December 2012 – present)
- Chairman of AHF Wheelchair Handball Working Group
- Member of IHF Wheelchair Handball Working Group
- Course Director of Pakistan Olympic Association
- Chairman of AHF Youth and School Handball Commission (2009–2013)
- Chairman of AHF Under Development Countries Commission (2004–2009)
- Secretary General of South Asian Handball Federation (2000–2009)
- Member of AHF Playing Rules and Referees Commission (1996–2000)
- Member of AHF Development and Publicity Commission (1992–1996)
- Vice-President of South Asian Handball Federation (1991–2000; 2009–2013)
- Secretary General of Pakistan Handball Federation (April 1985 – December 2004; February 2007 – December 2012)
