Ali Nawaz Baloch passed away on Friday 28 October in Lyari Karachi as he was suffering brain hemorrhage. He has won presidential award for his services to Pakistan football and he was the leading goal scorer of green shirt but sadly PFF has been unreluctant to desssminate his name on it web site.
He played for Pakistan national team and led it between 1967 to 1975 and made hat-tricks against top plight of Asia. Besides this, he had a honor to get his feet on English soil to represent Bury Club against Tottenham and Liverpool. He was a vice president of Pakistan football federation when it was a cash starving federation.
Meanwhile, born in a poverty sticken neighbourhood where football has been dominant sports, he was leading a retiree life in slum but didn’t lose the touch of football fraternity. He has opposed the move of former PFF members whom stormed the headquarter of football by hosting a protest in KMC stadium where his funeral was offered.
Pakistan football history has been filled with controversies and dispute but players have not quit to represent their country on international level. The game of throne has been a major cause of football demotion in Pakistan as politicians have been flexing their muscles to enthrone in PFF beside players have been begging to institutions to reopen their door for employment. Top plight of Pakistan football has discontinued their teams because of infighting among bigwigs and dormant of domestic league. Ali Nawaz did take the junior Pakistan football team to UAE in 1993 but simultaneously another team flown from Lahore to represent the green shirt thankfully host country has recognized the team led by legendary Ali Nawaz because of his playing career in Emirates club of UAE .
As we know FIFA world cup is fast approaching and a number of news channel rush to the slum to make lavish package for their organizations. Reporters will be assigned to cover the screening and painted street of Lyari or Malir. Besides, they will make their all effort to unearth the tale of ex Pakistan players who have been begging for alms in their twilight years but sadly media doesn’t have space to cover the funeral prayer of a legendary figure of Pakistan Football.
It doesn’t matter how much coverage he was given, he is and forever shall be a Pakistan footballing legend – untouched by time, never forgotten.
A massive tribute to Ali Nawaz Baloch.