'Token of appreciation': Karachi Press Club announces life membership for Arshad Nadeem

KARACHI: The Karachi Press Club (KPC) will confer life membership on Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem in recognition of his historic achievement, KPC Secretary Shoaib Ahmed announced on Friday.

"Arshad Nadeem is a national hero whose extraordinary accomplishment has inspired millions of Pakistanis," said KPC President Saeed Sarbazi.

He said the javelin thrower’s victory was a testament to the indomitable spirit of our nation and its athletes. The KPC was proud to honour such a remarkable individual, he said.

Earlier on Thursday, in a thrilling final, Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 metres and earned a gold medal for Pakistan after 40 years.

The governing body of the KPC unanimously decided to bestow the club's "highest honour" on Nadeem, who broke the Olympic record in men’s javelin to become the first Pakistani to win individual gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, a press release said.

"Nadeem’s triumph is a watershed moment for Pakistani sports. He has placed our nation on the global sporting map. The life membership is a small token of our appreciation for his immense contribution,” said Ahmed.

The life membership will be formally conferred on Nadeem at a ceremony to be held at the KPC soon, details of which will be announced later, the press release said.

Nadeem joins a distinguished list of sports icons, including cricketers Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, squash legend Jahangir Khan, and former Pakistan cricket captain Sarfraz Ahmed, who have been awarded the club’s life membership.

The KPC has also in the past bestowed life membership upon cricket legend Vivian Richard and Darren Sammy for playing a crucial role in reviving international cricket in Pakistan.