"Our society does not prioritise sports."
Muhammad Riaz, once a celebrated footballer who represented Pakistan in the 2018 Asian Games, now sells jalebis on the streets to survive.
His story has sparked debate over the lack of support for athletes.
The 29-year-old footballer from Hangu, who previously played for K-Electric, expressed frustration at the government’s failure to revive departmental sports.
Riaz, like many other athletes, had relied on other jobs to sustain his career, but the decision to ban them left him without a stable income.
Riaz shared: “I was hopeful after hearing the prime minister’s announcement, but the delay had been unbearable.
“With no income, I had to find an honest way to provide for my family.
“That’s why I now stand at a street corner, cooking jalebis instead of practising football.”
He directly criticised the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for dismantling departmental sports.
Riaz called the decision damaging to Pakistan’s athletic infrastructure.
Without financial support, he believes aspiring footballers will lose motivation after seeing a national player like himself struggling to make ends meet.
He lamented: “Our society does not prioritise sports. How can young players be inspired when they see a national athlete selling jalebis to survive?”
Riaz’s struggle is not an isolated case. Many national athletes, particularly in football and hockey, face similar hardships.
Despite promises from the government, no concrete action has been taken to provide financial security to former players.
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Taimoor Kayani, a former advisor to the minister for the Inter-Provincial Coordination Division (IPC), expressed disappointment at the treatment of national athletes.
He said: “It is heartbreaking to see a footballer of Riaz’s calibre, who could have been a multimillionaire in Europe, forced to sell jalebis on the streets.”
Kayani emphasised that Muhammad Riaz’s case represents a larger issue.
He urged the government to remove officials who failed to deliver on their commitments and reinstate top athletes in their respective sports.
Kayani warned that without proper backing, Pakistan risks losing more talented players to financial struggles.
The football community now looks to authorities.
They are hoping meaningful steps will be taken before more athletes are forced to abandon their careers and fight for survival.
If immediate action is not taken, Pakistan’s already fragile sports system may see further decline.
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