Pakistan emerges Upon independence in 1947, both East and West wings of Pakistan inherited the football infrastructure, like other sports, based in their respective territories. The need for establishing a nationwide football association was urgent, given that India inherited the erstwhile Calcutta-based Indian Football Association and the All-India Football Federation (AIFF), in order to govern the game properly across Pakistan.
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| The 1955 Pakistan football team. |
The Pakistan Football Federation hence came into existence on December 5, 1947 and became a full member of FIFA in early 1948 with the Quaid-i-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah its Patron-in-Chief.
One can only speculate if the Quaid actually had a liking for football, given how he spent many years of his life studying and practising law in England when the Football League system was evolving during the late 1880s. In fact, the Quaid’s 1930s extended stay in London coincided with the dominating Arsenal FC side of the legendary Herbert Chapman who masterminded a team that won a remarkable total of 5 Football League First Division titles and 2 FA Cup wins between 1930 and 1938.
In 1948, the PFF organised the first ever National Football Championship held in Karachi between 28th May and 5th June. The first ever national champions were Sindh Red who defeated Sindh Blue in the final. However, any sort of professionalism in the game was non-existent. Pakistan was no different, as the first participants of the National Football Championship used players from local schools, colleges, government departments that coincidentally employed sportsmen, and open trials. Football in these parts was still years behind Europe.
Members of the Pakistan team for the 1967 Asian Cup qualifiers held in Burma. —File
Playing the game barefoot was a norm in South Asia and this practice cost India dearly. India were invited to the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, after their remarkable fourth-place finish at the 1948 London Olympics. The Indian team, however, insisted on playing barefoot and were eventually disqualified by the game’s governing body.
The PFF had a turbulent first two years due to a lack of funds and mismanagement. As a result, the National Championship was not held in 1949. However in early 1950, the PFF was completely restructured and reorganised after a general meeting of the council. Alhaj Khawaja Shahabuddin was made the PFF President and Wing Commander H.A. Soofi elected as the Honorary Secretary. This new look PFF helped bring back the National Championship, this time held in early September 1950 at Quetta where a Balochistan Red team beat Sindh in the final.
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| Heroes of the 1960s, Murad Bakhsh, Turab Ali and Yousuf Jr. —File |
Due to infrequent nationwide competitions, it was the norm for Pakistani clubs teams to pursue friendly tours in neighbouring countries each year. Teams from Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Burma would often host Pakistani sides and play friendly matches against them in front of capacity crowds throughout the 1950s and later in the 1960s.
The well-organised Dacca Football League in East Pakistan often attracted the best players from West Pakistan to play professionally in a competition run as a parallel to the National Championships each year.
Pakistan football team’s international matches
1950 – Pakistan Tour to Iran (Birthday of Shah of Iran) Manager: Khawaja Riaz Ahmed, Asstt. Manager: Abdul Sattar Kohati Iran beat Pakistan 5-1 in presence of Shah of Iran Pakistan beat Taj FC 6-1 and drew 2-2 against a club from Isfahan
1952 – Ist Asian Quadrangular Tournament – Colombo Manager: Khawaja Riaz Ahmed, Asst. Manager: Shajahan, Captain: Abdul Waheed Pakistan 2 – 0 Ceylon Pakistan 1-0 Burma India 0 – 0 Pakistan (Final)
1952 – Iran in Pakistan Captain Abdul Wahid Durrani (Pak) Iran 3 – 1 Pakistan – Lahore Iran 4 – 2 Pakistan – Peshawar Iran 3 – 1 Pakistan – Quetta Iran 1 – 1 Pakistan – Karachi (this is the only match of tour considered an official friendly by FIFA)
1953 – 2nd Asian Quadrangular Tournament – Rangoon Manager - Syed Rahman, Captain – Mohammad Sharif India 1 – 0 Pakistan Burma 1 - 1 Pakistan Pakistan 6 – 0 Ceylon Pakistan 1 – 0 India (Unofficial Charity Match)
1954 – Asian Games Manila Manager – Khawaja Riaz Ahmed, Asst. Manager - Khadakar, Captain - Sergeant Mohiuddin Kutti Pakistan 6-2 Singapore Burma 2-1 Pakistan
1955 – 2nd Asian Quadrangular Tournament – Dhaka Manager – Abdul Wahid, Asst. F. Karim Chaudhry, Captain Jamil Akhtar Pakistan 4 – 2 Burma Pakistan 2 – 1 Ceylon Pakistan 1 – 2 India
1956 – Pakistan tour to China Pakistan 1 – 1 Canton XI (Friendly) Pakistan 2 – 2 China (Test – not counted as official friendly by FIFA/AFC) Pakistan 0 – 1 Chinese Army (Friendly) Pakistan 0 – 5 Chinese Youth Team (Friendly)
1958 – Asian Games Tokyo – Japan Manager – Sharif Khan, Asstt. Manager - Rehman , Captain - Nabi Chaudhry (East Pakistan) Pakistan 1-3 Taiwan Pakistan 1-1 South Vietnam
1959 – Pakistan tour to Burma Manager – Malik M. Hussain, Asstt. Manager K.P Jafar, Captain Masoodul Hassan Pakistan 3 – 2 Burma XI Pakistan 0 – 1 Burma (not counted as official by FIFA/AFC) Pakistan 2 – 4 Burma (not counted as official by FIFA/AFC)
1959 – 1960 Asian Cup Qualifiers– hosted in India Manager – Flight Lt. Ramizuddin, Asstt. Manager – Pir Bakhsh Baloch, Coach – Saeed Mirza - Captain - Qayyum Ali Changezi, ‘Home’ Matches: Pakistan 0 – 1 India, Pakistan 4 – 1 Iran, Pakistan 2 – 1 Israel ‘Return’ Matches: Pakistan 1 – 0 India, Pakistan 1 – 4 Iran, Pakistan 2 – 2 Israel
Selected Pakistan internationals between 1960 and 1984 1960 – Merdeka Cup – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Manager: A.B.S. Safdar, Referee: Bahadur Khan, Coach: Sahab Ali, Captain: Qayyum Changezi Pakistan 7–0 Thailand Malaysia 1–0 Pakistan Pakistan 3–1 Japan Pakistan 0–4 Indonesia
1961 – Burma in Pakistan First Test: Burma 3–1 Pakistan Second Test: 4–0 Third Test: Pakistan 1–1 Burma Burma 9–0 East Pakistan XI
1962 – Fourth Asian Youth Tournament, Bangkok Manager: Sq. Ldr. A.R. Siddiqui, Coach & Referee Bahadur Khan, Captain: Salim Hong Kong 4–2 Pakistan Pakistan 4–0 Singapore Pakistan 3–0 Malaysia South Korea 4–0 Pakistan Pakistan did not qualify for final round.
1962 – Merdeka Cup – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Manager: W/C Qureshi, Coach: George Ausley, Captain M. Umar Pakistan 1–0 Burma Pakistan 1–1 Japan Pakistan 0–0 Malaysia Final: Indonesia 2–0 Pakistan
1963 – China in Pakistan Manager: A. Afzal, Coach: Saheb Ali, Captain: Mohammad Umar First Test, Dhaka: Pakistan 0–0 China Second Test, Peshawar: Pakistan 3–2 China Third Test, Lahore: Pakistan 1–1 China Fourth Test, Karachi: China 2–0 Pakistan
1963 – Pre-Olympic Qualifiers, Tehran and Karachi Manager: Lt. Col. M. Saleem Khan, Captain: Mohammad Amin First leg: Iran 4–1 Pakistan Second leg: Pakistan 1–0 Iran
1964 – Pakistan in China Manager: Wing Cmdr Asghar Hussain, Coach: Fl. Lt. Atiq Ahmad, Captain: Abid Hussain Ghazi Pakistan 2–0 China (unofficial Test)
1967 – Saudi Arabia in Pakistan Captain: Turab Ali First Test (unofficial): Pakistan 3–1 Saudi Arabia Second Test (unofficial)Saudi Arabia 4–2 Pakistan (unofficial) Third Test (unofficial)Pakistan 2–2 Saudi Arabia
1967 – Asian Cup Qualifiers – Rangoon (Burma) Manager: M.A. Hannan, Coach: Mohammad Amin, Captain: Turab Ali Burma 2–0 Pakistan Cambodia 1–0 Pakistan Pakistan 1–1 India
1967 – RCD Tournament, Dhaka Turkey 7–4 Pakistan Iran 2–0 Pakistan
1973 – Pakistan in China Manager: Maj. M. Husain Malik, Coach M. Amin, Captain: Moula Bakhsh China 7–4 Pakistan China 1–1 Pakistan
1974 – Fourth RCD Championship, Karachi Turkey 1–0 Iran Turkey 2–2 Pakistan Iran 2–Pakistan
1974 – Asian Games, Tehran Iran 7–0 Pakistan Pakistan 5–1 Bahrain Burma 5–1 Pakistan
1982 – Quaid-e-Azam National Football Tournament, Karachi Pakistan Green: Manager: Ibne Ali, Coach: Younus Rana, Captain M. Akbar Pakistan Blues: Manager: Sq. Ld. Sardar Khan, Coach: Murad Bakhsh Pakistan Blues 1–1 Nepal Pakistan Blues 2–1 Bangladesh Iran 1–0 Pakistan White Pakistan Blues 2–1 China Iran 4–1 Pakistan Blues China 4–1 Pakistan White Pakistan Blues 0–0 Pakistan White Pakistan White 0–0 Oman Pakistan Green 2–1 Nepal Pakistan Blues 2–1 Oman Standings: First – Iran, Second –Pakistan Blues (Jr.), Third – Pakistan White
Pakistan Historical some Photo
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| North American Soccer League side Dallas Tornado stopped in Pakistan for two matches during their worldwide tour in 1967. —File       |
nice work
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