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NOWSHERA, May 21 (APP): Once echoing with cheers and the rhythmic chants of “Kabaddi, Kabaddi,” the dusty grounds of Pabbi tehsil here now lie deserted due to addiction of social media.
Volleyball nets hang loosely, Kabaddi arenas are silent, and a legacy of local sportsmanship fades slowly into the digital abyss at Aman Kot, Korvi and Pabbi—the hub of traditional sports. The issue is a growing obsession with the internet and social media platforms that’s reshaping the lives and pastimes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s youth.
Renowned for its fierce athletic traditions and home to Squash legends like Jahangir Khan, Jan Sher Khan, Qamarzaman, Olympians in Hokey Rahim Khan, Qazi Mohib, Cricketstar Umargul, Yasir Hameed and Wajahat Wasti, Shabir Ahmad at Volleyball, KP veteran sportsmen are seeing disappointment after its rich culture of traditional sports are slowly being eroded due to social media addiction in youth.
Once a bedrock of community interaction and physical vitality, traditional games such as squash, volleyball, hockey and kabaddi are now being overshadowed by TikTok trends and YouTube shorts.
Shabir Ahmed and Ehsanullah, former national players in volleyball and kabaddi respectively, recall the golden days when every weekend was a mini-festival of sports. “In the late ’90s, hundreds would gather here to cheer us on,” Shabir reminisced. “The spirit was contagious. It’s heartbreaking to see these grounds so empty now.”
Their hometown, Amankot, was once a hub for local tournaments, attracting players from Peshawar, Charsadda, Swabi, Peshawar and surrounding villages amid cheers and applauds. Enthusiastic crowds, rhythmic drumbeats, and fierce but friendly competition marked these gatherings. “We didn’t have smartphones and Wify, but we had community and passion for sports,” Ehsanullah added.
Before the digital boom post 2000, local tournaments were anticipated events that transcended class and caste, binding communities together. Today, however, mobile phones and social media apps have taken over these traditional gathering spaces.
Pakistan had crossed a significant digital milestone earlier this year, with over 111 million internet users and nearly 72 million active on social media platforms. Facebook leads with 44.5 million users, while TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat combined pull tens of millions into a virtual world—far from the physical playgrounds of yesteryear.
“This new digital culture has created a generation more comfortable behind mobile screens than under the sun at sports grounds meaning by diminishing of traditional sports in KP,” said squash legend Qamar Zaman, lamenting the drop in attendance at his squash academy. “We had Roshan Khan, Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan. But how can we discover the next champion if no one is playing?”
The decline is further compounded by inadequate sports infrastructure and budgetary cuts. Even the historic Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium, undergoing renovation since 2017, remains incomplete, denying athletes a world-class facility in Peshawar.
Despite the grim outlook, government officials say all is not lost. Fakhar Jehan, Adviser to the KP Chief Minister on Sports and Youth Affairs, stated that new initiatives are being introduced under a revitalized sports policy. “Schools are now required to dedicate one day per week to sports. We’re also near completion on the Arbab Niaz stadium soon and upgrading other facilities there,” he said.
He affirmed the government’s commitment to fostering a sporting culture, saying, “Physical activity is vital for a healthy society. We must protect our heritage while embracing modernity.”
As Pakistan basks in the international glory of athletes like Arshad Nadeem, whose Olympic gold in javelin has become a symbol of national pride, former athletes like Shabir, Qamar, Umargul and Ehsan emphasized the need for grassroots investment.
“Digital platforms can’t replace the life lessons learned on the field,” he warned. “If we don’t act now, we risk losing more than just games; rather we’ll lose generations of talent.”
KP’s traditional sports may be down, but with focused policy, community support, and balanced digital engagement, there’s hope that these games will echo again in villages and towns not just in memories, but on the playing fields where they belong. The experts urged the KP Govt to increase the quota of sports in professional colleges besides award of stipends to restore KP’s sports glory.