Arshad Nadeem’s Olympic gold, Suzuki Alto: A match made in…Pakistan!

Pakistan’s javelin sensation Arshad Nadeem recently etched his name in the sporting history by clinching the gold medal at recently-concluded Olympic Games in Paris. He has now found himself at the receiving end of a rather modest reward, a mere entry-level hatchback. Nadeem set a world record in the Olympics and beat India’s Neeraj Chopra, who took silver, to become the world’s top javelin thrower.

Arshad Nadeem’s Gift on Pak return: A Suzuki Alto!

Pakistani activist Syed Zafar Abbas Jafri announced on X that businessman Ali Sheikhani has promised to give Nadeem a new Suzuki Alto upon his return home. However, the choice of reward for Pak’s hero has sparked a wave of both amusement and criticism. On a positive note, the Punjab government in Pakistan has gifted the medalist a Civic sedan with a special registration number—92.97, representing his gold-winning throw in metres.

In India, the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is priced between Rs 3.99 lakh and Rs 5.96 lakh, ex-showroom. In Pakistan, the Alto starts at PKR 23.31 lakh, around Rs 27 lakh in India. Also, the Pakistan-spec model differs significantly, featuring a 658cc engine with 38 bhp and 56 Nm torque, paired with a 5-speed manual or AMT.
In other news, industrialist Sajjan Jindal has announced that JSW MG Motor India will be gifting their upcoming car, the Windsor EV, to every Indian medalist coming from Paris. Besides, India’s ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who clinched gold at the Tokyo Olympics, received numerous rewards back in 2021. This included a personalized XUV700 SUV from Indian business tycoon Anand Mahindra.