KARACHI, May 6: Squash legend Jahangir Khan foresees bleak future of the game in the country as Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has neither any programme nor it is serious in taking guidance from him for its betterment.

“Unfortunately the PSF is run by non-technocrats who are working hand in gloves with vested interest and are bent upon to ruin the sport,” he told Dawn on Saturday.

The 10-time former British Open champion who now heads World Squash Federation (WSF) was visibly unhappy with the present scenario as none of his countrymen were among the top 20.

While players from Egypt, Malaysia, England and France have improved leaps and bounds in the recent past, country’s top players Shahid Zaman and his cousin Mansoor have slipped down in the latest world ranking.

Verifying his claim, he said Englishman James Willstrop, the world No 4, who started the game after Shahid and Mansoor has once reached the British Open final.

Similarly, he said four Egyptains- Amr Shabana (1), Karim Darwish (10), Mohammad Abbas (17) and Wael El Hindi (20) were among the top 20.

Continuing, he said even the Malaysians who used to learn finer points of the game from Pakistanis were far better than us with Mohammad Azlan Iskandar and Ong Beng Hee sitting pretty at 12th and 13th slots in the ranking.

Jahangir who ruled the racket game across the world with an uninterrupted 555 wins was critical of successive PSF secretaries S. M. Fazal, Sajid Waheed and Zulfiqar for damaging the game by misguiding the presidents only to serve their interests.

Lambasting at PSF officials he said some were also involved in visa scams by issuing letters to fake players which has not only tarnished the country’s image but led to denying visa to genuine players by embassies time and again.

Applauding the role played by the late Mushaf Ali Mir as head of the game Jahangir disclosed that the former was keen to see the sport flourish and left no stone unturned.

‘The game came on the right track after Mushaf appointed me as his advisor on squash’, he added.

He said God has blessed me with numerous honours but its pity that after Mushaf’s untimely death none of the PSF officials bothered to take a word of advice from him.

The six-time former world champion was critical of lack of discipline among players who used to dictate terms to coaches.

Jahangir who completes his second successive term as PSF chief later this year would seek re-election at the annual general body meeting scheduled to take place at Cape Town in October.

Meanwhile, he has assumed charge of vice-chairman of PN Roshan-Jahangir squash complex from May 1.

The post was held by his illustrious father Roshan Khan.

He was appointed on the directives of Chief of the Naval Staff Mohammad Afzal Tahir.

The complex is headed by Commander Karachi vice admiral S. V. Naqvi.

Jahangir had a lot of affection for PN Roshan-Jahangir complex as it is the same place where he started playing game at a tender age.