Pakistani footballer turns jalebi seller due to financial hardships

Muhammad Riaz, a Pakistani footballer and Asian Games hero, has been forced to sell jalebis at a roadside stall due to severe financial difficulties.

Riaz’s life took a drastic turn, from playing football to now selling the sweet treat.

He expressed frustration over the failure of the government’s promised revival of departmental sports, which left him with no source of income.

After years of waiting for a change that never materialized, Riaz had no choice but to find an honest way to provide for his family.

In a heartfelt appeal, Riaz urged the government to restore departmental sports, questioning whether this was the fate of national heroes.

His story underscores the challenges faced by Pakistani sports stars—excluding cricketers—who often struggle with financial insecurity and limited job opportunities after their athletic careers.

Muhammad Riaz’s heart-wrenching tale has gone viral, sparking widespread outrage and sadness.

Many are now calling for the government to step in and support national heroes like Riaz by restoring departmental sports and offering them the support they deserve.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced to restore departmental sports in the country, banished in 2019 under the PTI government, ARY News reported.

According to details, the decision has been made to promote sports and provide better opportunities to youth to earn their bread and butter from sports. The PM, in his address to the nation, had promised to reinstate departmental sports.

Players had been urging the government to reinstate departmental sports to provide sportsmen and athletes with better opportunities. Thousand of sportsmen had become jobless after the previous government decided to abolish departmental sports teams.