KARACHI, June 7: Qadir Bux Baloch, the 63-year-old international ailing former footballer, who played between 1965 and 1975 and has the honour of leading the national side on several occasions during the time, was presented a cheque of Rs300,000 by Sindh Minister for Sports Dr Mohammad Ali Shah at his office in the Sindh Secretariat here on Saturday.

The former player who also served as sub engineer in the water board after retirement from the national team, has been partially paralysed since the last five years and been receiving off and on treatment at the Lyari General Hospital. A recent stroke about two months ago had left him unable to use his right leg and hand and he needs to undergo regular physiotherapy.

Fondly nicknamed “Putla” by his fans, Qadir, who used to play as linkman in the midfielder position, represented various football academies in Pakistan and Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) including the Dacca PIDC, Dacca Mohammadans, Dilkusha, Victoria, Lyari. He wore national colours in a number of big tournaments and friendly matches against Russia, Iran, China, Korea and Japan.

Joining the national youth team in 1965, he was noticed while playing in the local Lyari side that beat Turkey’s visiting national team 4-0 in a charitable match played to benefit the flood victims of East Pakistan.

The small ceremony at the Sindh Secretariat saw an emotional Qadir Bux receive the cheque from the sports minister, who has also promised to accommodate his jobless son, another talented footballer, in some department.

“Qadir is our national hero and an asset to the country and we are proud of him,” said Dr Shah who told members of the media present on the occasion how he happened to be watching the sports news on one of the private TV channels when he came across the former captain inaugurating the Shahnawaz Khan Invitational Football Tournament last month.

“Finding him living in deplorable conditions in Lyari, I personally committed to do something for him within 10 days,” said the minister who approached Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan to inform him about the ailing sportsman after which it was decided to help him through the Legend’s Fund set up by the governor in 2006 for the welfare of national heroes.

Qadir Bux is the first Pakistani sportsman to have benefited from the governor’s Legend Fund. While thanking the minister for his kindness, Qadir, who was accompanied by his old team-mate, the former centre half stopper Mohammad Yaqoob and Nasir Karim Baloch, chairman, Football Association, South Karachi, said he was grateful to the governor for the gesture.