Pakistan Wrestling Icon Inam Butt Elected New PWF Secretary

Pakistan’s celebrated international wrestler Muhammad Inam Butt has officially stepped into a new leadership role after being elected as the Secretary of the Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) for the 2025–2029 term.

The elections, held at the Pakistan Olympic House in Lahore, also saw Arshad Sattar elevated to PWF President, marking a reshuffle that promises both continuity and fresh energy in the sport’s administration.

Inam Butt, a decorated freestyle wrestler with two Commonwealth Games gold medals and two South Asian Games titles, takes on the PWF secretaryship for the first time in his career. His appointment is widely seen as a progressive step for Pakistani wrestling.

“Inam’s involvement will be a turning point,” said newly-elected President Arshad Sattar. “He understands the needs and challenges of our wrestlers better than anyone.”

For Inam, 36, the transition signals a new chapter. Speaking after the announcement, he confirmed that while he will continue to compete in selective international events, his focus will now shift toward administrative reform and athlete development.

“I want to spare more time for this post,” Inam said. “We need to uplift wrestling from the grassroots level and strengthen support systems for our top athletes. This role gives me a chance to do that.”

Before assuming the PWF secretaryship, Inam Butt had already laid down markers as a voice for athletes in Pakistan, particularly through his role as Chair of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Athletes’ Commission, a position he was elected to unopposed.

A fierce competitor on the mat, Inam’s record speaks volumes. He first burst into the international spotlight in 2010, winning Commonwealth gold in the freestyle 84kg category in New Delhi by defeating India’s Anuj Kumar. He repeated the feat at Gold Coast 2018, this time in the 86kg weight class.

With Inam now at the helm as Secretary and still an active competitor in selective events, the next four years could see the federation better aligned with athlete needs than ever before.

For a country with a rich, if under-resourced, wrestling tradition, this appointment may be more than symbolic, it could be transformative.