Federation\u2019s action comes after PM Shehbaz takes notice of Muhammad Riaz\u2019s plight
\n islamabad
\nWith the news circulating about the national hero and footballer Muhammad Riaz, a former Pakistan footballer who played in the 2018 Asian Games, the Pakistan Football League (PFL) took immediate notice and has announced a prize money for footballer after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited him to his official residence.
\nEarlier today, Riaz received an invitation to the Prime Minister House after a video of him selling jalebis surfaced online.
\nThis development comes after Geo News highlighted the issue in a report earlier this week, underlining how the 29-year-old standout player was left jobless after his former department, K-Electric disbanded its football team.
\nThe PFL, after hearing his heart wrenching story of being confined from the football grounds locally and globally to the streets of Hangu preparing Jalebis \u2014 (A famous sweet snack of the subcontinent) to manage his financial difficulties and to find a source of income to support his family, away from the soccer field, PFL Chairman Farhan Junejo diligently announced a prize money of Rs1 million for him alongside a guaranteed position at the centre stage of PFL \u2014 which has been resolute to revive football in Pakistan.
\nPFL Chairman Farhan Junejo said, \u201cMuhammad Riaz is a prime example of hundreds and thousands of talented footballers in Pakistan, who have been forced to leave the football field due to lack of platforms and financial support prior to which the game and skills have went unnoticed, I on behalf of PFL would like to reward Muhammad Riaz with a prize money of Rs1 million and a prominent position in PFL as he is not only an excellent player but also has represented Pakistan at the global fronts on the soccer field, and such amazing talent deserves all the support we can offer in our maximum capacity\u201d
\nHe added that such amazing talent cannot go wasted as this is the grand motive of PFL to ensure transparency and opportunities for all football players in a country where talent speaks for itself.
\nWhile ensuring all-out support to Riaz, PFL remains committed in its objective to revive football in Pakistan and provide international training for all other footballers like him, it said in a statement.
\nThanking PFL for the support, the Asian Games hero, Riaz extended gratitude and thankfulness to PFL and the chairman for recognising the hardships he has been left to deal with after the previous governments decision to suspend departmental sports.
\n\u201cI am thankful to PFL for providing me an opportunity to showcase my lost love for football and ensure that I will be working together with PFL to make sure no other player remains neglected,\u201d the PFL statement quoted him as saying.
\nIt is pertinent to mention that PFL will also make all necessary arrangements to provide international training to Riaz to ensure that such talent shall not go unnoticed and be a pride for for Pakistan on the soccer fields in the coming years.
\nIn addition to this Riaz will also be positioned in a way to ensure that all local talent shall not go unnoticed and will spearhead the department of nurturing the talented pool of football players in Pakistan.
\nThe disbandment of Riaz\u2019s departmental club came after the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government imposed a controversial ban on departmental sports \u2014 a decision deemed premature and damaging to the sports industry by Riaz.
\nAs a result, Riaz, who shined playing departmental football, turned to selling jalebis on a street corner in his hometown, Hangu.
\nThe dissolution of departmental football, despite Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s directives for its restoration, left countless talented athletes struggling to survive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Federation\u2019s action comes after PM Shehbaz takes notice of Muhammad Riaz\u2019s plight islamabad With the news circulating about the national hero and footballer Muhammad Riaz, a former Pakistan footballer who played in the 2018 Asian Games, the Pakistan Football League (PFL) took immediate notice and has announced a prize money for footballer after Prime Minister […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":466860,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-466842","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n