Do you think it will be money well spent?](http://www.sportsmasala.com/squash/2002/86.html)
Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf Monday promised lucrative cash prizes to induce his country’s youth to win elusive world squash title.
“I promise Rs. ten million (around 170,000 US dollars) for a player who will win world title for Pakistan and Rs. five million (around 85,000 US dollars) for a player who wins British open title,” President Musharraf announced.
Pakistan President was speaking at the prize distribution ceremony of COS (Chief of Air Staff) International squash tournament.
Pakistan, once a mighty squash force, has seen a slide at international level and has not won any international tournament since Jansher Khan won British open in 1997.
Jansher and his compatriot Jahangir Khan ruled the squash arena sharing 16 British open and 14 world titles between them since 1982.
In the 50s Hashim Khan and Azam Khan of Pakistan dominated the squash world.
Jahangir won a record ten British open titles but no Pakistani player has reached the top ten rankings since 1998.
Pakistan showed some revival when Jahangir’s former coach Rehmat Khan guiding their junior team to win the world junior squash championship in Chennia, India in December last year.
Pakistan also won Under-19, U-17 and U-13 titles in the British open in Sheffield, England last month.
Egypt’s reigning world junior champion Karim Darwish won the COAS open, beating countryman Mohammad Abbas 15-8, 15-6, 15-8 to receive a trophy and cash award of 4000 US dollars.