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Aussie Rules in Pakistan |
Australian football first came to Pakistan through the drug-help organisation, Tanzeem-e-Insidad-e-Manashyiate (TIM) in April 2006.
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Mumtaz Ali Khan, a member of TIM was the major player behind the football push. TIM uses sport as a means to deter people from drugs, and assist those that are already addicted to drugs. They have a strong presence in The Swat Valley (North West Frontier Province), where some 2 million people, a largely agricultural community, lives in poverty (females being in an even worse situation than males). Khan, who first became aware of the sport on cable television, saw football as offering an edge that other sports couldn’t match – being fast, physical and requiring complete commitment. And by being foreign it offered an escape to the monotonous routines of the lives of many in the region. As a result, the organisation looking after the sport was centred in Swat.
That organisation, originally labelled the Australian Rules Football Federation of Pakistan, and now renamed the much simpler AFL Pakistan, had achieved a significant amount, when you consider that they were yet to secure sponsorship of any form.
Six clubs were established,
- TIM Swords
- Swat Public Eagles
- Jehanzeb Dolphins
- Government High #3 Bulls
- Peshawar Colours
- University of Malakand.
As the names suggested, they were centred around schools, as TIM recognises youth as being the most susceptible to drug use.
Above AFL Pakistan logo.
AFL Pakistan also held a round robin competition in August 2006, which was competed between the four initial clubs. The Bulls came out on top, actually ending the day undefeated.
They had another competition planned for August 2007. There were to be six matches played between the 1st and the 10th of August. The two sides with the most wins will then qualify for the Grand Final to be held on Independence Day, the 14th August at the oval on Saidu Sharif Rd, Mingora.
Results of this competition are not known.
Ultimately, like most footballing nations, their aim was to get the country’s national side, the Dragoons, to competitions such as the AFL's International Cup and also to the Asian Championships, but this has not accured yet. The other major problem was sponsorship. AFL Pakistan was run entirely by volunteers.
Unfortunarely, as of 2010, the competition was in hiatus and no details as to it's progress or future plans were available.
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Posted on Dec 29, 2010 19:09pm by admin
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