ISLAMABAD: With Saudi Arabia’s national flag draped around his shoulders, Shah Murad arrived in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad to achieve his “lifelong dream”: watch Saudi Arabia’s national football team in action.
Murad, a 33-year-old tea boy at a private bank in Pakistan’s financial hub Karachi, resides in the city’s teeming Lyari neighborhood. The slum has long been considered one of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods due to frequent gang-related killings and rampant street crimes there.
It’s also known as “Mini-Brazil” and Pakistan’s football capital for producing immense talent for the sport. While its residents support different teams, a majority of them cheer for top football-playing nations like Germany, Brazil and Argentina.
Pakistan will face Saudi Arabia today at the Jinnah Football Stadium in Islamabad. The two sides will lock horns for round 2 of the FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. Pakistan lost the first round against Saudi Arabia in Al Ahsa in November 2023 when the Green Falcons vanquished Pakistan 4-0.
What makes Murad’s 890-mile journey from Karachi to Islamabad remarkable is the recent tragedy that befell him days before he decided to travel to Islamabad, a city he had never traveled to before. The superfan, a father of one, had been planning to travel to Islamabad for the match for the last six months. A few days earlier, his wife delivered a premature baby, their second child, who was put on a ventilator due to health complications.
“But before I could commence on my journey to fulfill my dream, I lost my son,” Murad told Arab News. “It hasn’t [even] been a week.”
Murad had abandoned his plan to leave Karachi but his family told him to pursue his dream of watching the Saudi football team live in action.
“My family encouraged me and said that it has been my lifelong dream,” Murad said. “You should go fulfill it.”
And his family’s encouragement was enough to motivate Murad to buy a Rs12,400 [$44.52] return bus ticket.
“I had been saving this money for a long time,” he explained.
In November 2022, when Saudi Arabia upset Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2022, Arab News spoke to Murad who said Saudi star Yasser Al-Qahtan was his favorite footballer.
When asked if he had any other wishes, Murad said he wanted to meet Saudi Arabia’s men’s football team now that he was in Islamabad.
However, he does feel slightly conflicted about who to support, now that his favorite team will be facing his country on the field.
“I want the Saudi team to win because it is my favorite football team,” Murad said. “But Pakistan is my country, so I am a bit confused.
“Whoever wins in the end, I hope it will be a victory for sports.”
Pakistani superfan travels 890 miles to catch Saudi football team live in Islamabad
Pakistani superfan travels 890 miles to catch Saudi football team live in Islamabad
- Shah Murad, a 33-year-old resident of Pakistan’s Karachi, considers Saudi Arabia his “favorite” football team
- Days before Murad departed for Islamabad, his premature baby passed away due to health complications
Pakistan warns of more rain, snow in north, urges tourists to avoid travel
- Heavy snow has blanketed parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Galiyat, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, cutting off several towns and villages
- Communications Minister Aleem Khan has directed authorities to ensure highways remain open, fully operational under all circumstances
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Friday warned of more rain and snowfall in northern parts of the country, urging tourists to avoid unnecessary travel as authorities moved to prevent weather-related emergencies.
Rescuers evacuated dozens of stranded residents and tourists to safety as heavy snowfall blanketed several mountainous areas, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, blocking roads and cutting off villages.
KP’s Khyber, South Waziristan and Swat districts were the most affected by heavy snowfall on Thursday, where authorities were clearing roads and providing food, warm clothes and bedding to affectees, according to Rescue 1122.
Heavy snowfall was also witnessed in Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree and Galiyat where several vehicles were stuck on roads, while residents complaint of power outages in some areas, local media widely reported on Friday.
“The system causing rain/snowfall is active over northern parts of the country,” the PMD said in its advisory on Friday noon, predicting more showers and snow in the next few hours.
“Tourists [are] advised to stay vigilant and avoid unnecessary travel during rain and snowfall.”
Weather authorities this week forecast intermittent rains and snowfall in northern regions of the country between Jan. 21 and Jan. 24, with heavy snowfall likely in upper and hilly areas of the province.
Tens of thousands of tourists flock to Pakistan’s scenic north every winter to witness snowfall, often neglecting warnings from disaster management authorities.
In Jan. 2022, at least 21 people, including children, died after they were stuck in freezing temperatures during a snowstorm in the Pakistani hill station of Murree.
In view of the situation, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan on Friday directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to ensure that all highways remain open and fully operational under all circumstances.
“Minister has instructed NHA field staff to remain on high alert and to maintain 24/7 monitoring of weather conditions on highways in snowfall-affected areas,” the Pakistani information ministry said.
“He emphasized that ensuring uninterrupted traffic flow on national highways, particularly in upper regions, is a top priority.”
