Top Pakistani able-bodied teams, such as the cricket team who reached the recent World Cup semi-final, received handsome prizes from the Government for their performance.

In contrast, the Pakistani Paralympic stars at the 2010 Asian Para Games such as Ali, 400 metre gold medallist Mudassir Baig and javelin silver medallist Muhammad Awais received very little for their efforts and Ali feels the trio, along with other top disability stars in the country, should be offered jobs as a sign of appreciation.

"Different departments of the country propose jobs to best players of games and we too should be treated the same way," Ali said.

"The Government announced attractive incentives for the Pakistan hockey team, the Pakistan cricket team and other winning players just within weeks of their achievements but ignored us.

"I belong to a small village and we have not enough resources to participate at our own expense in national and international events."

Ali, who also won the first ever silver Paralympics Medal his country had achieved at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics Games, said that a piece of land should be allotted to Paralympians in Islamabad where athletes with disabilities could practice for their respective disciplines.

At present, due to the scarcity of funds, the National Paralympics Committee (NPC) of Pakistan organises Paralympic activities on an event by event basis, but Ali said that there is a dire need to have Paralympic sports activities continuing throughout the year.

"We have a lot of talent, but we just need encouragement for such activities," he stated.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
January 2011: Pakistan's Paralympian medal-winning stars snubbed, claims PNPC chief