[1] He is the reigning Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion and the current silver medalist in the World Athletics Championship.

[5][6] He is a two-time Olympian,[7] and the first Pakistani to qualify for the final of any track and field event at the Olympic Games[8] and the World Athletics Championships.

[12] Arshad Nadeem was born into a Punjabi Muslim family in Mian Channu, in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

[17] Upon entering grade seven in school, Nadeem caught the eye of Rasheed Ahmad Saqi during an athletics competition.

Gold medals in the javelin throw in successive Punjab Youth Festivals and an inter-board meet propelled him on to the national stage, bringing offers from all the leading domestic departmental teams, including the athletics sections of the Pakistan Army, Air Force and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).

[17] In February 2016, Nadeem won the bronze medal at the South Asian Games in Guwahati, India, setting a national record and his personal best at 78.33 m.[22] In June 2016, Nadeem won the bronze medal at the 17th Asian Junior Athletics Championship, held in Ho Chi Minh City.

[24] In April 2018, he set a new personal best of 80.45 m in the qualification round of the Commonwealth Games,[25] held in Gold Coast, Australia, and finished eighth.

[32][33] His father stated that Nadeem was not provided with a good training ground facility prior to competing at the Olympics.

[34] Nadeem trained in his home's courtyard and on the streets, and is believed to have not received any financial assistance from the Government of Pakistan after qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.

[20] Nadeem has openly spoken about the extreme difficulties of non-cricket sportspeople in Pakistan, who are largely ignored and neglected by sports officials.

[42][43] In July 2022, Nadeem participated in the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, US, as the sole representative from Pakistan.

[49] In May 2023, Nadeem participated in the 34th National Games of Pakistan and won a gold medal with the longest throw of 78.02 m during his third attempt, while representing WAPDA.

A special postage stamp themed Azm-e-Istehkam was also issued by the federal government in connection with Pakistan's Independence Day featuring an image of Nadeem.

[65][66] The Capital Development Authority upon the directives of the federal government, decided to rename the Margalla Road in Islamabad's sector F-10, extending from the F-10 roundabout to Khayaban-i-Iqbal after Arshad Nadeem.