{{short description|Pakistani squash player}} {{For|information on the other Pakistani squash player also named Mohibullah Khan|Mohibullah "Mo" Khan}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Use British English|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox squash player | name = Mohibullah Khan | image = | caption = | nationality = Pakistani | birth_date = 21 July 1956<ref name=DM>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19760210/227/0026 |title=Hunt holds on in marathon squash final |work=Daily Mirror |date=10 February 1976 |p=26 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=23 May 2026}}</ref><ref name=SI>{{cite web|url=https://www.squashinfo.com/player/1467-mohibullah-khan |title=Mohibullah Khan (Pakistan)|website=Squash Info |access-date=23 May 2026}}</ref> | birth_place = | height = | weight = | turnedpro = | retired = | highest_ranking = 2 | date_of_highest_ranking = February 1976 | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's squash }} {{MedalCountry | {{PAK}} }} {{MedalCompetition | World Championships}} {{MedalSilver | 1976 London | Singles}} {{MedalBronze | 1977 Adelaide | Singles}} {{MedalBronze | 1979 Toronto | Singles}} {{MedalBronze | 1980 Adelaide | Singles}} {{MedalCompetition | British Amateur Championships}} {{MedalGold | 1973/1974 | singles}} {{MedalGold | 1974/1975 | singles}} }} '''Mohibullah Khan''' (born 21 July 1956) is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the sports leading players in the 1970s, reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 2. He was runner-up at the inaugural World Open in 1976, and at the British Open in 1976, losing on both occasions to Australia's Geoff Hunt.
== Athletic career == Khan twice won the British Amateur Squash Championships during the 1973/74 and 1974/75 seasons.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19731224/209/0007 |title=Mohibullah Khan |work=Birmingham Daily Post|date=24 December 1973 |p=7|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=27 May 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19731224/209/0007 |title=Sunsport in Short |work=Sunday Sun (Newcastle)|date=11 December 1974 |p=724|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=27 May 2026}}</ref>
In 1976, Mohibullah Khan won the Pakistan International Airlines World Series in England. Queen Elizabeth II was the chief guest and gave him the winning trophy, a sword.{{citation needed|date=May 2026}} Apart from this, he won the British Amateur Squash championships, Australian Open, New Zealand Open, US Championships, Alexandrian squash championships, French Open, and Pakistan Open.<ref>{{cite book|last=Palmer|first=Michael|title=Guinness Book of Squash|year=1984|page=95-96|publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd|isbn=0-85112-270-1}}</ref>
As a 20-year-old at the inaugural 1976 Men's World Open Squash Championship, Khan reached the final, where he lost a 130 minute match to Geoff Hunt. It was the second longest match on record for a major final at the time.<ref name=DM/>
Khan won the 1980 World Masters title defeating Gamal Awad in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002139/19801108/031/0031 |title=Mohibullah is the master |work=Birmingham Mail |date=8 November 1980 |p=31 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=23 May 2026}}</ref>
In February 1983, Khan received a nine year jail sentence at Reading crown court after being found guilty of smuggling £500,000 of heroin into Britain.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000637/19830212/014/0001 |title=Khan jailed |work=Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail|date= 12 February 1983 |p=1|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004848/19830212/564/0004 |title=Squash ace jailed |work=Daily Express |date=12 February 1983 |p=4|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026}}</ref>
Khan's younger brother, Jansher Khan, became one of the dominant players in squash in the late 1980s and 1990s and Mohibullah Khan became his coach.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004733/19950323/044/0044 |title=Jansher Khan factfile |work=South Wales Echo |date=23 March 1995 |p=44|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026}}</ref> Jansher Khan remained the World No. 1 squash player for many years, including a record of winning 8 World Open and 6 British Open titles. In 1993, the Pakistan team (Jansher Khan, Jahangir Khan, Zarak Jahan Khan, and Mir Zaman Gul) won the World Team Squash Championship under the coaching of Khan.
In recognition of Mohibullah's achievements for the country in the field of squash, President Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari awarded him Pakistan's highest civil award. the Pride of Performance, in 1995.{{citation needed|date=May 2026}}
The Federal Minister for IPC Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada renamed PSB Squash complex Peshawar as Mohibullah Khan squash complex on 29 May 2015.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}
Khan serves on the Pakistan Sports Board as Director of the Squash Coaches of Pakistan. Since 2006, Khan has also run Mohibullah Khan Squash Academy in Peshawar under the Pakistan Sports Board. The academy trains players for Pakistan squash.{{citation needed|date=May 2026}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Squash Info}}
{{Pride of Performance for Sports}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Mohibullah}} Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:Pashtun squash players Category:Pakistani male squash players Category:20th-century Pakistani sportsmen Category:Recipients of the Pride of Performance Category:Pakistani drug traffickers Category:People convicted of drug offenses