Muhammad Riaz, a football player who played for Pakistan in the 2018 Asian Games, now finds himself behind a roadside stall in Hangu (city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan), making and selling jalebis just to make ends meet. His journey—from playing on the international stage to struggling with financial hardships—sheds light on the harsh reality of football in Pakistan, a nation where cricket dominates, and football remains neglected.
According to Pakistan’s A Sports TV report, the 29-year-old athlete’s life took a big turn after the government imposed a ban on departmental sports, an initiative designed to promote a club-based model for sports but which ended up losing hundreds of athletes their jobs and financial stability. Despite promises from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to restore departmental sports, a decision made in 2019 under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, Riaz and many others continue to face the consequences of this broken system.
“I waited for years for the return of departmental sports,” Riaz shared with the media. “When the Prime Minister announced the revival, I felt hopeful, but the delay has been unbearable.”
With no financial backing and no clear future in football, Riaz had no option but to take up a different profession to support his family. “I had to find an honest way to make a living, which is why I’m here selling jalebis instead of playing football,” he explained.
In a moving appeal, Riaz called on the government to take swift action and restore departmental sports, emphasizing the plight of athletes who once made the nation proud.