Mahnoor Ali Prize Money Appeal Reaches PM, Field Marshal
Mahnoor Ali prize money is still unpaid, and Pakistan’s 14-year-old international junior squash player has now appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for help.
Mahnoor, who comes from Peshawar and is one of the Ali sisters, said she had worked hard to bring recognition to Pakistan through her performances in international squash competitions. She said she had yet to receive the prize money she was entitled to, despite her results.
She has won four gold medals in the Asian Junior Super Series and reached the finals of the Asian Junior Championships in both 2025 and 2026. The medals and finals have not been matched by payment, and she said repeated visits to the Pakistan Sports Board and the office of its president had not produced the money.
Mahnoor Ali prize money held back despite medals
According to Mahnoor, she has made several visits to the Pakistan Sports Board to press her case. Those visits, including meetings at the office of the board’s president, ended without success.
The young athlete said money problems were making it harder to compete at international level. She struggles to cover travel, training and other expenses, and each overseas trip adds to the strain on her family.
She urged the authorities to release her outstanding prize money and provide financial assistance so she can keep representing Pakistan and winning more medals.
Mahnoor also raised a wider concern about support for young athletes. She asked how future generations could be encouraged to pursue squash if players were denied their rightful rewards and government assistance.
She appealed to the prime minister and the field marshal to address her concerns and make sure Pakistan’s talented young athletes receive the support they need to continue competing internationally.
A record that deserves backing
Mahnoor’s results give weight to her appeal. She won gold at the SRAFTKL International Junior Squash Championship in Kuala Lumpur, beating Malaysian number one Maisra Kharul Nizam 12-10, 13-11, 6-11, 11-7 in the under-15 final. Her sister Sehrish Ali took bronze at the same event.
She also won the women’s title at the third Chief of the Naval Staff All Pakistan Squash Championship in Karachi, beating Sehrish in the final, with the prizes presented by the naval chief.
Her career has already involved a dispute at international level. In January, Pakistani junior players were caught in a row with the World Squash Federation over entries to the 2025 US Junior Open and the 2026 British Junior Open, when new documentation requirements were imposed after acceptances had been issued. Mahnoor, who had played up an age category, was removed from her rightful category.
Pakistan’s squash has enjoyed team success this year too, with the national side winning the Asian Team Squash Championship. That win and Mahnoor’s medals show a sport producing results, yet the rewards for its youngest stars are not reaching them.
The case also sits beside a wider pattern of young athletes relying on family support and private sponsors. Indus Motor Company has sponsored the Ali sisters, and its chief executive has spoken publicly about backing their journey. But sponsorship cannot replace the prize money that a player has earned through results.
For now, Mahnoor waits on the authorities she has appealed to. Her request is simple: pay what she has earned, and give young athletes the backing to keep playing for Pakistan. Young athletes are winning for Pakistan across sports, from the under-19 cricketers heading to the Asia Cup final to the squash team, yet the rewards do not always follow.
The women’s cricket team has shown what backing can produce, and the board’s own contract decisions are also under scrutiny this week. For Mahnoor, the test is simpler, and it is about money already owed.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mahnoor Ali?
Mahnoor Ali is a 14-year-old international junior squash player from Peshawar and one of the Ali sisters.
What has Mahnoor Ali won?
She has won four gold medals in the Asian Junior Super Series and reached the finals of the Asian Junior Championships in 2025 and 2026.
Why has she appealed to the prime minister?
She says her prize money remains unpaid despite repeated visits to the Pakistan Sports Board, and she has asked PM Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir to intervene.
What support has she received so far?
Indus Motor Company has sponsored the Ali sisters, but Mahnoor says her official prize money has not been paid.
