Snooker in Pakistan has a rich history. The Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) was established in 1958, exactly ten years after the country gained independence. Snooker is one of the four sports in which Pakistan was simultaneously a world champion in 1994. The game enjoys significant popularity among the youth of Pakistan.

The Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation hosts four ranking tournaments annually, and based on player rankings, sends athletes to international competitions. In Pakistan’s snooker scene, Mohammad Yousuf holds legendary status. He became the World Amateur Champion in 1994 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and later became the Asian Champion in 1998. Alongside Mohammad Yousuf, Saleh Mohammad, Khurram Hussain Agha, Naveen Perwani, and Imran Shehzad have also been notable names in the past.

However, the history of the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation is incomplete without mentioning Asghar Ali Valika. Under his leadership, Pakistan made its mark in snooker both nationally and internationally. Now, following his vision, Alamgir Shaikh is actively leading the way.

The PBSF has always lamented that their victories and achievements have not received the recognition at the national level that other sports have enjoyed after achieving global success. And their grievance is both genuine and valid.

Take, for instance, Arshad Nadeem, who was widely celebrated for winning the gold medal in javelin throw at the Paris Olympics last year. In contrast, Pakistan’s top cueist Mohammad Asif, who won the IBSF World Snooker Championship in Doha in November 2024 for the third time, was completely ignored. Shockingly, no government official even bothered to show up at Karachi’s Quaid-e-Azam International Airport to receive him.

It didn’t stop there. With great resilience, Mohammad Asif once again clinched the World Snooker Championship title for the fourth time in July 2025 in Bahrain, defeating Indian opponent Brijesh Damani in the final by four frames to three. Yet again, this national hero did not receive the appreciation he rightly deserved.

On the global stage, Mohammad Asif first won the IBSF World Snooker Championship in December 2012 in Sofia, Bulgaria, defeating England’s Gary Wilson 10–8 in the final. In 2019, he claimed the title for the second time in Antalya, Turkey, defeating Jeffrey Roda of the Philippines 8–5

In August 2017, Asif partnered with Babar Masih to win the IBSF World 6-Red Team Championship for Pakistan. In September 2018, the duo once again triumphed over India’s Pankaj Advani and Malkeet Singh in the final (3–2) to win the Asian Team Snooker Championship in Doha.

In 2023, Asif reached the second round of the British Open Snooker Championship, where he faced seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry and lost

Despite being a four-time world champion, Mohammad Asif is disappointed that he has not received any government support or the one crore rupees cash prize usually awarded to world champions. He says the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation is doing its part, but without a national-level snooker academy, it will be challenging to achieve future international success in this sport.

Employed by the National Bank of Pakistan since 2013, Mohammad Asif says his livelihood is sustained through his ten-table snooker club in Faisalabad. A father of two, Asif got married in 2006, and says the $8,000 prize money from the 2024 World Snooker Championship in Doha is the biggest reward of his career so far.

Under the leadership of Alamgir Shaikh, the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association is working on both national and international fronts without any substantial external support & it would not be incorrect to say so. A significant example is young Mohammad Hasnain, who became the IBSF World Under-17 Champion.

While snooker in Pakistan has effectively become a "medal sport" over the years, it's accurate to state that it has not received the level of governmental patronage it truly deserves. The irony reached another level when, instead of being made a board member of the Pakistan Sports Board, Alamgir Shaikh was removed,yet another glaring example of injustice toward this sport.