KARACHI, Sept 4: Match officials said on Sunday they would submit written complaints against PWD manager and an Afghan Club player for misconduct during a Premier League match at CDGK Stadium.
Referee Ejaz Hussain said he would submit written report to the match commissioner, complaining about misconduct by PWD team manager Azam Baloch and Afghan Club player Ahmad Shah for their conduct unbecoming.
“Afghan Club player Ahmad came to me at the end of the match and protested claiming we have allowed only two minutes as injury-time while it should have been more than that. He abused us for that. This is the second time Ahmad has been involved in such an act.
“Just before the break PWD manager Azam was also involved in misconduct as he used foul language against assistant referee Abrar Hussain, claming that Essa should have been given offside. We cannot tolerate such unruly and unsporting behaviour of the team officials and players. I will be submitting report on these incidents,” he told Dawn.
Assistant referee Abrar Hussain said he would also lodge complaint against Azam, who he claimed, grabbed him and used foul language asking the official to give Essa offside.
“Azam used such foul language and was involved in gross misconduct. When Essa was not offside why should I rule him offside? This is not on. I can’t bend on the wishes of the team officials and will submit report to the match commissioner,” he said.
Abrar was not willing to officiate the match after the break, saying “I am not ready to face such humiliation and will not go out into the field in the second half,” Abrar said during halftime before he was cajoled by his colleagues to continue and went to the sidelines to do his job.
Because of the gravity of the situation and resentment among the PWD fans, the referees were taken to a safe place to change after the match as PWD supporters hurled abuses and threatened Abrar of dire consequences, saying “we are waiting for you outside.”
Match commissioner Ali Nawaz Baloch said he would recommend disciplinary action against the official and the player after receiving the reports from Ejaz and Abrar.
The incident was second one during matches in Karachi as Pakistan Army team officials had also been involved in misconduct while written report by Ali Nawaz is pending before Pakistan Football Federation.