Jalebi-selling footballer Riaz urges PM Shehbaz to restore departmental football

Discarded international footballer Mohammad Riaz has pleaded the case of all footballers, who have been left jobless following closure of departmental teams, during his meeting with the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad.

The premier had invited him to the federal capital after his video went viral on social media where the player was seen making jalebis, a popular sweet snack, at his shop in his hometown of Hangu.

“When I met the premier, I requested him that it would be of great benefit for hundreds of footballers who have been left jobless if departments reopen their football teams,” Riaz told Nukta.

“He told me that I would be given job but I told him that there are so many players like me who have lost their jobs due to departments’ closure. I told him if departments are restored it will benefit all those players to live respectable life.

“The premier assured me that they will make it happen. I was respected by the Prime Minister and I am thankful to him.

“He also told me that he had already restored departmental sports and I stressed that he had done that but departments had not restored their teams and it would be fine if he presses this matter again.”

The Prime Minister presented Riaz a cheque of Rs2.5 million as well on this occasion.

“I also then met with the KP Chief Minister [Ali Amin Gandapur] who not only handed me a cheque of Rs1 million but also offered me a coaching job. Both meetings were good and I hope positive results will come,” Riaz said.

Pakistan Football League (PFL) has also announced Rs1 million for Riaz who also served K-Electric which have disbanded their football team.

Pakistan football in turmoil

Conflict among football stakeholders over electoral and constitutional issues created such a turmoil in the country’s football, which is yet to subside despite efforts from FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) whose appointed Normalization Committee has been working since 2019 in a bid to hold the elections of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).

The PFF elections are still due but the intricate football conflict over the years has inflicted a huge damage on footballers and officials in the country.

Football has been mostly inactive over the last one decade as only once the Premier League was held in this entire period. The Premier League was a source of income for the mainstream footballers and it would hugely supplement the players’ earnings.

Even Normalization Committee failed to hold the league despite the fact that it has been working for the last five years.

Some major departments abolished their teams during the last few years as it was difficult for most of the departments to keep their teams without any activity. Additionally, the PTI’s regime’s decision in September 2021 to discontinue funding to the departmental sports teams of various government agencies, corporations and autonomous bodies added to the players’ plight. Departments already were on the run but this verdict further encouraged them to disband their teams.

In August 2022, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lifted the ban on departmental sports but it also did not work as several departments did not form their football teams despite a clear directive from the premier.

Shehbaz is again the premier now and it would be interesting to see how he handles the situation following this viral video of Riaz, who in the limelight during the Geo Super League held long ago in Karachi.

There are hundreds of top footballers and officials who lost their jobs due to closure of major departments. However, majority of them cannot express their plight and are silently fighting this difficult period of their lives.

Former Pakistan coach Nasir Ismail said that the PTI government’s step relating to closure of funding to the departments was the main thing which damaged the entire sports also including football.

“And this was cashed in by the PFF NC and damaged football,” Nasir said.

“PIA is that organization which has won ten championships successively and it is inactive now. There is a long list of departments who have disbanded their teams including National Bank, KPT, State Bank, Port Qasim. In Karachi there were 21 departments but both state and of private sector and all have disbanded their teams,” Nasir said.

“In football, clubs’ structure is important but departments also have major role in football development and you can see departmental football in other countries also,” he added.

Nasir said that FIFA and AFC are also responsible for the whole damage.

“Since the appointment of NC in 2019, the entire focus has been on constitution and no attention was paid to football. AFC and FIFA did not ask NC why it is not holding league which is the key in a country’s football structure,” Nasir said.