Agha Kaleem, a kickboxer from Quetta, has been struggling to gather financial support to pursue his career despite being a ten-time all-Karachi champion, three-time Wushu champion, two-time Muay Thai champion, and three-time national champion. He even won the Asian Nomad MMA Championship in Kazakhstan last year, but could only attend the event with outside help, and had to spend four days at the airport, surviving on only water, almonds, and dates.
Kaleem’s story caught the attention of former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi and musician Ali Zafar. Ali Zafar shared a video on Twitter with the kickboxer and pledged his support to help him. He called Kaleem a “fighter” and a “champion” and declared that Pakistan needs heroes like him. Similarly, Afridi also took to Twitter and shared Kaleem’s video, stating that he and his foundation are ready to support the athlete and help him achieve milestones in his career. He also alerted the Megastars League, which was created to support deserving athletes in Pakistan.
In an exclusive interview with Geo Super, Kaleem expressed his grievances and shared that despite his impressive achievements, he had no support and had to work at a tea stall. He further lamented that it was embarrassing to keep asking for money, which made him feel like he was begging. However, the pride he felt when he won those competitions and raised Pakistan’s flag kept him going.
Ali Zafar and Shahid Afridi’s support for Agha Kaleem highlights the importance of recognizing and supporting deserving athletes who bring international pride to their country. It also showcases the power of social media in connecting people and making a difference. The support provided by these celebrities may not solve all of Kaleem’s problems, but it certainly gives him hope and encouragement to continue pursuing his passion.
