PAF forfeit football match in Quetta
Crowd behaviour on Saturday forced visitors not to take field in PPFL.
KARACHI:
Baloch FC were awarded a walkover against Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after the latter refused to play against the hosts Baloch FC in the Pakistan Premier Football League match in Quetta yesterday due to security concerns.
According to the match commissioner, PAF refused to play the match due to the absence of security personnel at the venue. The team had been reluctant to play against the hosts in Balochistan since Afghan FC fans attacked the referees following a draw on Saturday.
“We were attacked on Saturday and that was horrifying to watch the whole crowd coming towards us,” PAF captain Sher Zaman told The Express Tribune. “Two of our players were also caught in the middle so we decided to forfeit the match.
“Giving away three points is not a big deal as compared to getting hit by a crowd of few thousand people. We play football to entertain ourselves and the fans who come to watch it but we can’t tolerate such behaviour by the spectators.”
Meanwhile, in the other matches, Pakistan Navy defeated Muslim FC 2-1 and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) outplayed PMC Athletico 2-0 in Karachi.
With the win, NBP continue to sit second in the league with 18 points after eight matches in the tournament.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 26th, 2011.
Baloch FC were awarded a walkover against Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after the latter refused to play against the hosts Baloch FC in the Pakistan Premier Football League match in Quetta yesterday due to security concerns.
According to the match commissioner, PAF refused to play the match due to the absence of security personnel at the venue. The team had been reluctant to play against the hosts in Balochistan since Afghan FC fans attacked the referees following a draw on Saturday.
“We were attacked on Saturday and that was horrifying to watch the whole crowd coming towards us,” PAF captain Sher Zaman told The Express Tribune. “Two of our players were also caught in the middle so we decided to forfeit the match.
“Giving away three points is not a big deal as compared to getting hit by a crowd of few thousand people. We play football to entertain ourselves and the fans who come to watch it but we can’t tolerate such behaviour by the spectators.”
Meanwhile, in the other matches, Pakistan Navy defeated Muslim FC 2-1 and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) outplayed PMC Athletico 2-0 in Karachi.
With the win, NBP continue to sit second in the league with 18 points after eight matches in the tournament.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 26th, 2011.