Serious concerns have been raised regarding governance, transparency, and institutional decline within Pakistan’s weightlifting setup, with calls for urgent reforms to safeguard the future of the sport and its athletes.
In a detailed written statement, former weightlifting official and sports analyst Dr. Hafiz Zafar Iqbal questioned the conduct and decisions of former federation office-bearer Hafiz Imran Butt, stating that recent explanations issued on social media do not fully reflect ground realities. He noted that such statements, marked by contradictions and half-truths, have further intensified concerns rather than addressing them.
Dr. Hafiz Zafar acknowledged that Hafiz Imran Butt was once a national-level athlete who benefited from the guidance of senior coaches and officials. However, he stated that the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation, entrusted as a national responsibility, gradually suffered due to poor governance, personal interests, and an excessive focus on retaining authority.
According to the statement, merit was repeatedly overlooked while nepotism and favouritism became common practice. Financial transparency allegedly declined, and constitutional amendments were introduced to consolidate power rather than to reform the institution. He further claimed that several prominent athletes, coaches, and officials faced unjust and, in some cases, lifetime bans for expressing dissent, resulting in the loss of experienced human resources and damaging Pakistan’s medal prospects at international competitions.
The statement linked Pakistan weightlifting’s repeated involvement in international doping scandals, lengthy suspensions, and financial penalties to flawed policies that prioritised loyalty over competence and shortcuts over structured training. It was stressed that these outcomes were not accidental but rather the consequence of long-standing administrative failures.
Dr. Hafiz Zafar Iqbal further alleged that the federation had been reduced from a national institution to what he described as a “personal fiefdom,” with weakened provincial structures, symbolic office-bearers, and the deliberate sidelining of capable individuals. He maintained that the current isolation faced by former leadership figures was a direct result of ignoring advice, experience, and goodwill in favour of opportunistic elements.
Calling for corrective measures, the statement emphasised that true leadership lies in timely and dignified decision-making rather than clinging to power. It urged a transparent transfer of authority, restoration of merit-based systems, withdrawal of unjust bans, and the creation of space for new leadership to revive the sport.
Concluding his message, Dr. Hafiz Zafar Iqbal appealed to the weightlifting community to put aside differences and work collectively to make 2026 a year of revival and progress for Pakistan weightlifting, stressing that athlete welfare, institutional integrity, and national honour must take precedence over personal interests.
