The Pakistan Football League (PFL) has announced a prize money for Asian Games hero and footballer Muhammad Riaz, who was recently spotted making jalebis in a viral video, after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of his plight and invited him to the premier’s official residence. 

This 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.

The PFL, after hearing his heart wrenching story of being confined from the football grounds locally and globally to the streets of Hangu preparing Jalebis — (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 — which has been resolute to revive football in Pakistan.

PFL Chairman Farhan Junejo said, “Muhammad 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”

He 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.

While 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.

Thanking 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.

“I 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,” the PFL statement quoted him as saying.

It 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.

In 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.

The disbandment of Riaz’s departmental club came after the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government imposed a controversial ban on departmental sports — a decision deemed premature and damaging to the sports industry by Riaz.

As a result, Riaz, who shined playing departmental football, turned to selling jalebis on a street corner in his hometown, Hangu.

The dissolution of departmental football, despite Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directives for its restoration, left countless talented athletes struggling to survive.