Qazi Ashfaq

Qazi Ashfaq (12 December 1967 – 13 November 2001) was a Pakistani footballer who played as a forward. Considered as one of the major Pakistani footballers in the 1990s,[1][2] he was the author of the starter goal in the final against Maldives, which saw Pakistan retain their second title in the 1991 South Asian Games.[3]

Qazi Ashfaq
Personal information
Full name Qazi Mohamed Ashfaq
Date of birth 12 December 1967
Place of birth Hassan Abdal, Attock, Pakistan
Date of death 13 November 2001(2001-11-13) (aged 33)
Place of death Lahore, Pakistan
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Wohaib FC
1989–1990 Punjab
1990–1996 WAPDA
1996–2000 Allied Bank
International career
1991–1995 Pakistan U23
1989–1999 Pakistan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Ashfaq was born on 12 December 1967 in Hassan Abdal, in the Attock district of Pakistan, with his family originally belonging from the North Western Frontier Province.[4] His father Qazi Dilawar Khan worked as a personal secretary in the Hassan Abdal Cadet College. Ashfaq did his early education in the same Cadet College and did his intermediate in Dera Ismail Khan Polytechnic College.[4]

Club career

Ashfaq initially played for Wohaib FC until joining Punjab FC, where he won the National Football League and played in the 1989–90 Asian Club Championship.[4]

Later on, he joined WAPDA where he won his second league title and played in the 1991 Club Championship.[4]

Ashfaq played a key role in helping Allied Bank football club where he was vice-captain from 1996 to 2000, winning the National Challenge Cup in 1996, 1998 and 1999.[4] He also won the National Football League twice with Allied Bank, first in 1997, and then in 1999.[4][5][6]

International career

Ashfaq joined the Pakistan national under-23 team for the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Qualifiers.[4] He made his international debut on 22 October 1989 against Nepal in the 1989 South Asian Games.[4] The match played at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad was tied by 0–0.[7] Ashfaq scored his first international goal in a 2–0 victory against Maldives in his second game, as Pakistan passed the group stages and won the title by defeating Bangladesh in the final.[8]

In the subsequent 1991 South Asian Games in Colombo under the captainship of Ghulam Sarwar, Ashfaq scored against Bangladesh,[9] qualifying Pakistan for the final against Maldives. In the dying minutes of the game, Ashfaq scored the first goal in the 83rd minute before Nauman Khan, finishing the match by a 2–0 victory for Pakistan, and winning their second title in the competition.[3][10][11]

Ashfaq also represented the national team in the inaugural 1993 SAFF Championship in Lahore, 1995 in Colombo, 1997 in Kathmandhu,[12] and 1999 in Goa.[4] He was also present in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[13]

He was the captain of the national team from 1996 until 1999 before Haroon Yousaf.[14]

Death

Ashfaq passed away on 13 November 2001 at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Lahore, after fighting cancer for two years.[4][1] Reportedly at the time of his death, he had worn the shirt of his club Allied Bank for which he played in the later years.[4]

Honours

Punjab
Allied Bank

Pakistan

References
  1. Ahsan, Ali (2010-12-23). "A history of football in Pakistan — Part III". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  2. Editorial Staff (2014-04-09). "FPDC Feature: Maradona knows about Pakistani football as much as the Pakistani Public". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  3. "5th South Asian Federation Games 1991 (Colombo, Sri Lanka)". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  4. Editorial Staff (2013-02-13). "Qazi Ashfaq, Abdul Ghafoor profiled". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC) (in Urdu). Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  5. "Pakistan 1997". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  6. "Pakistan 1999". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  7. "6th South Asian Federation Games 1993 (Bangladesh)". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  8. "6th South Asian Federation Games 1993 (Bangladesh)". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  9. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Pakistan vs. Bangladesh". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  10. Nasir, Saad (19 June 2023). "Pakistan Football Team's 5 Best Wins in History". ProPakistani.
  11. Editorial Staff (2010-11-08). "9th Pakistan-Maldives clash on Tuesday in 2010 Asian Games". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  12. "AFC qualifiers: Pakistan to clash with Sri Lanka". DAWN.COM. 2009-04-07. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  13. "Pakistan - National Team Players". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  14. "Haroon Yousaf". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
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