Asiad: dismal Pakistan

Pakistan's campaign at the Asian Games is exposing the widening gulf between the country's sporting ambitions and its ability to compete consistently at the continental level. Two bronze medals in squash offer some consolation, but the reversals suffered across several disciplines on Saturday have raised familiar questions about the state of national sport. Individual determination remains evident. What is less apparent is the institutional support needed to translate that determination into sustained success. At the close of Saturday's competitions, China had amassed 176 medals, including 107 golds, while Japan had secured 129 and South Korea 73. India had collected 30 medals, including four golds. Countries like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have already secured eight gold medals apiece. Pakistan, meanwhile, had secured bronze in women's cricket and was assured of another medal in men's singles squash, with Noor Zaman and Mohammad Ashab Irfan due to contest the third-place play-off. The defeat against Malaysia in hockey was particularly disappointing. Pakistan surrendered a 4-3 advantage to lose 5-4 despite Sufyan Khan scoring all four goals. With the tournament still under way, the national team has an opportunity to recover. It is clear that the successes of individual competitors are too often celebrated without sufficient attention to the circumstances in which they have been achieved. The Asian Games are not yet over, and Pakistan's remaining athletes deserve every opportunity to improve the country's medal tally. But whatever the final standings, the authorities must resist the familiar temptation to treat isolated achievements as evidence of wider progress. A country with Pakistan's sporting history should be capable of producing competitive athletes across a broader range of disciplines. The task is to build institutions that make such performances possible with greater regularity.