Sports of all kinds are being
promoted and encouraged on different levels in Pakistan.one faces ambiguity
while selecting any one kind of sports. In universities, colleges, schools the
passion for different fields of sports are tested and evaluated, the students
are specifically navigated towards the field, in which they possess proficiency.
Basically football, which was formally known as soccer is among the most popular
games of the world, it has gain its fame through its benefits at various levels.
The most essential benefit of playing football is health benefit, research has
shown that football is one of the most healthiest physical exercises, like the
basic thing it improves your stamina and after that it keeps your hamstrings in
good shape, so fundamentally this laborious game focuses over lower limb and if
you keep playing, it results in many other health advantages and keeps you
active for longer duration even in your old age.
The next prominent factor of football is that it is a source of entertainment
for the audience as well as the player. The whole game depends on the
footballer; a real footballer is the one who has maximum control over the ball
that’s what makes him a legend.
There are no precise origins of football; there is no exact location which
points specifically to the birth of football. Greeks were the first people who
initiated the basics of football by playing a game loosely resembling its
counter paths. After then romans followed them by playing it in the same manner.
Since 1951 football has been played as an Asian game as well. The history of
football in Pakistan started from the day it existed on the worlds map in 1947.
Pakistan highly possesses this talent of football. Football in Pakistan is as
old as country itself, the Pakistan football federation, PFF came into existence
on 15th December 1947, Pakistan’s first leader Jinnah, became the pattern in
chief and in 1948 Pakistan football federation became affiliated with FIFA. It
organized the first national championship in 1948 at Karachi. Until 1958
Pakistan played on an international level by participating in Tokyo Asian games.
In Pakistan the game has not fully developed as it should have been. As the time
pass Pakistanis participation in international competitions lacked regularity.
Football has reached to very sublime heights in the world, especially in the
European and the Latin American countries. Many aspects of mutability are being
noticed in its technique, standard is raised much. Now days, football match is
the most exciting thing considered among the audience in which two balanced
teams confront each other .Professionalism has taken football to great heights
of improvements and it has become universal. This is why the progression of this
game is considered as the progression of the nation. Professional approach of
football has deliberately enhanced its value globally and it is being taken as a
necessity in sports. Despite of such worldwide importance of football, its
standard in Pakistan has gone downwards rather moving upwards. The level of
expertise gained in 50s couldn't be maintained. Pakistan was unable to generate
the aspect of modernization in football; no possibility of gaining
professionalism has been anticipated up till now.
The very conspicuous aspect which is the core reason of backwardness among
football is the deteriorated political system of Pakistan. Corruption all over
the nation has gripped the attention of the people and has intentionally
diverted them towards bomb explosions. Group ism is another reason which has
hinder smooth progression in Pakistan, people fight against each other by making
their own teams, lacking the aspect of fidelity. Other side which has stopped
its further development is the aspect of mismanagement, lack of support and
attention. People do not value this game as it should be valued. Most of them
consider as an extra-curricular activity in schools and colleges because in
Pakistan there is no established future of football on professional grounds.
Basic motive adopted by everyone now a days is to earn big amount of money, fame
both are absent in Pakistan regarding this prestigious field of football. It was
ones considered one of the strongest sides of Asia, which turned out as one of
the weakest in the world.
Youth is very much into football; they follow rules and tactics of the foreign
legends and consider them their inspirational sources. Many clubs are being
built up in order to upraise their love for football in which youngsters
participate and show themselves up regretting the fate of football in Pakistan.
But still to some extent efforts and progression is noticeable Pakistan Premier
League PPL, professional league of Pakistan embraces the control for association
of all football clubs. There are also regional leagues like IPA in Islamabad.
Steps are being taken, innovations are being made but on a lower scale, it
didn't received that valued prestige from Pakistan as it received from the other
foreign states, rest of the countries progressed in this game because they
valued its principles and played it in its true sublime values.
Other valid point of failure of football in Pakistan is lack of support from the
government and high authorities, due to this factor no media coverage has showed
up, because media is the only way of gaining exposure, anything in this world
cannot progress until media provide its grounds of coverage and bring it under
the notice of the people. Status of cricket as most popular game is another lame
fact which leads football backwards, whereas the fact is that unlike cricket
football gives nonstop experience of exciting emotions of both the audience as
well as the participants, plus it is not dragged to long expanses of time all
day, it is quick and exposes spontaneity.
There was a time when FIFA had suspended Pakistan from all international
football due to rival PFF, for setting their own teams and making them ready to
take part in national and international levels. These conflicts restricted the
chances of football’s progression over last two decades. But eventually after
checking out the flourishing interest of the youth in football FIFA is ones
again giving alliance and support to Pakistan by putting its name in the
Coca-Cola soccer ranking sheet. Recently FIFA’S president Joseph S. Blatter has
written to the Pakistan football federation to express his sorrow at hearing
about the sudden death of Pakistan’s international forward Iftikhar Gaga. On the
other hand John Duerden, a foreign man writes about Asian football at nation and
international levels showing his utmost interest in Asian football.
India,Bangladesh,Maldives contain foreign players whereas Pakistanis possess
does own players belonging to Pakistan itself, Rehman,born overseas with
European experience, Mohammad Essa, the best name grown player recently.
Pakistan has many talented players all over the country no doubt about that but
they leave football because it is not promoted on international scale, apart
from that many national tournaments are organized every ones a year which is
good to encourage a lot of players to step forward and continue their love for
football but again that is not at all enough as for the value it deserves.
Measures are to be inculcated and corruption has to be eradicated for its
progress on a wider scale. Hence, every part of Pakistan is deeply associated
with this world wide game, Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, all these
regions amalgamate when it comes to football. It has to be promoted in Pakistan
because it’s one way to stand out in the world and show that we don’t lack the
talent of any field.