Pakistani footballer receives AFC award

Ali Nawaz captain of Pakistan National Team in 1974.

LAHORE: Pakistani Football Official and former football captain, Ali Nawaz received “Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Distinguished Service Award” from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) president Joseph S Blatter and the newly elected President of Asian Football Confederation, Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

Many other officials from the sub continent, including Nawaz, received the award for providing valuable service for the development and promotion of football and who had made outstanding contributions to Asian football over the decades.

The awards were handed out during the recent AFC Ordinary Congress held at Kuala Lumpur, said a spokesperson of Pakistan Football Federation on Wednesday.

Nawaz was captain of Pakistan National Team in 1974 and served Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)  for 16 Years as Vice President. He has also received President’s Pride of Performance Award for his services to Pakistan.

Apart from Nawaz, Qazi Muhammad Asif will get the AFC Gold Star Award, Haroon Yousuf will receive AFC Silver Star Award and Tanveer Ahmed will get AFC Bronze Star Award.

Asif played for Pakistan National Team from 1981 – 1985 and is currently President of Pakistan Football Referee Association. He was also a referee for FIFA from 1988-1996.

Yousuf represented Pakistan National Team as a Player from 1991 – 2003 and as captain from 1990-2004.

Ahmed, who played for Pakistan from 1993-2008, was awarded player of the year and was known as “Iron Man of Defence”.

President of PFF Faisal Saleh Hayat and Secretary Ahmad Yar Lodhi expressed their delight on the Pakistani footballers receiving the awards.