KARACHI:
Karachi’s town of Lyari is commonly known as ‘mini-Brazil’ because of its residents’ passion and love for football. Over the years, the town has produced some of the most talented male football players who have represented the country internationally. In the recent Sindh Football League 2022, Lyari’s football team performed exceptionally and emerged as a runner-up.
Even the girls in Lyari claim to have a special bond with the game and have participated in football tournaments at the national level. However, these girls are faced with several hurdles because of conservative norms and an absence of support for female athletes in the country. Some individuals have taken the initiative to facilitate both male and female footballers in Lyari and provided them with coaches and referees with expertise in football. However, this is not enough.
Considering that football is a popular sport across the country, particularly the rural areas, the government should expand funding for football and free the grounds from land-grabbing mafias. In the past, Pakistan’s national football team ranked highly in Asia and still maintains the 200th position in the FIFA world rankings. Recently, FIFA announced plans of lifting the ban on the Pakistan Football Federation. Relevant parties should take this opportunity to revitalise the sport and offer support and assistance to both male and female footballers across the country. The talent, vigour, and potential of these players should not go in vain, and they must be allowed to pursue their passion as a career.
Hamdan Sain
Hub
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2022.
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