PESHAWAR: The ancient sport of archery, known in Pakhtun culture as Mukha, received renewed cultural recognition as players, political leaders, journalists, and civil society representatives gathered at Chapalabad Shamozai in Katlang, Mardan district, for the final match and prize distribution ceremony of the Provincial Rahimullah Yusufzai Peace Mukha Tournament 2026.
As usual, the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) financed the annual tournament.The organising committee thanked and praised SRSP for its continued financial assistance and lauded the efforts of its Chief Executive Officer, Masoodul Mulk, and his team for their commitment to ensuring the successful organisation of this oldest sport.
The Bazargai team of Buner clinched the title after defeating the Shawa team of Swabi in a closely contested final, while the Jeewar team of Buner district secured third position.The tournament is organised annually in memory of the late Rahimullah Yusufzai, former Resident Editor of The News International, BBC correspondent, Time magazine’s Pakistan correspondent, and one of the country’s most respected journalists. His lifelong commitment to peace, culture, and Pakhtun heritage made him a symbolic figure for this traditional sport.
A total of 18 teams from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated in the tournament, making it one of the largest Mukha competitions held in the province in recent years.Addressing the ceremony as chief guest, District Development Advisory Committee Chairman and MPA Zarshad Khan said the provincial government was taking practical steps to promote traditional cultural sports.
He announced that construction work on a dedicated Mukha ground at Government High School Badar Banda, Shamozai in Katlang Tehsil, being built at a cost of Rs3.9 million on the demand of the Provincial Mukha Organisation, had entered its final phase.
“All future provincial Mukha championships will be held at this ground,” he said.Presiding over the ceremony, Central General Secretary of Yusufzai Jirga Ahmad Ali Khan Yusufzai called for institutional patronage of the sport through the jirga system.
He described Mukha as the historic traditional sport of the Yusufzai tribe and a living expression of Pakhtun cultural identity that must be preserved for future generations.The jirga leader said the Yusufzai Jirga had been supporting the provincial tournament for the past two years and would continue its cooperation in the future as well.
SRSP PeshawarVice Chairman Ihsanullah Yusufzai said SRSP had been financially supporting the provincial Mukha tournament for the last 15 years, a tradition initiated through the efforts of the late Rahimullah Yusufzai and later continued by senior journalist Mushtaq Yusufzai.
Ihsanullah Khan said he was pleased to know that Yusufzai had been holding the Mukha tournament every year, in the name of Pakistan’s celebrated journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai.On the occasion, Mushtaq Yusufzai announced a grant of Rs400,000 from SRSP for the organising committee and appreciated SRSP and its management for their generous contribution to the Mukha tournament.
MPA Zarshad Khan announced cash prizes of Rs50,000 for the winning Bazargai Buner team, Rs30,000 for runners-up Shawa Swabi, and Rs20,000 for third-placed Jeewar Buner.He announced Rs10,000 each for the Man of the Tournament and Man of the Match, besides Rs100,000 for the organising committee.
Ahmad Ali Khan Yusufzai separately announced Rs10,000 each for the top three teams and an additional Rs100,000 for the organising committee.Among others who addressed the gathering were Provincial General Secretary of Yusufzai Jirga Shoaib Khan Yusufzai, Provincial President of Mukha Organisation Amjad Hussain Yusufzai, Chief Organiser Farman Shah Yusufzai, Mudassir Shah Yusufzai, and Gohar Shah Ustad.
Later, trophies and cash prizes were distributed among winning teams and outstanding performers.Archery, traditionally known as Mukha among the Pakhtuns, is currently played across seven districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
