KPT football star from Karachi’s Lyari Town, Ismail Baba was shot dead when he got caught up in the recent surge of gang violence across Lyari that have taken many innocent lives in last few days. Ismail Baba was 32 years old and a veteran football star that played all over Pakistan.
Ismail Baba began his career playing for Lyari’s very own Kalri Star FC and later on played for Pakistan Public Works Department (PPWD), the now defunct Pakistan Telecommunications Limited (PTCL) football team from Islamabad, and Karachi Port Trust (KPT) with which he competed in many nationwide football tournaments including the Pakistan Premier League and National Football Challenge Cup.
Ismail Baba also represented Lyari Labour Welfare Centre (LLWC) when they won the inaugural KASB Karachi Football League in 2003, and won bronze medal for his old club Kalri Star in the 2004 edition where he was also top scorer.
Karachi Zonal FA South officials, incl. chairman Gulab Baloch, vice chairmen Murad Bakhsh, Javed Baloch, Allah Bakhsh, Abdul Latif, and members Shaban, Ghulam Mustafa, Iqbal Rao, Shamroz Khan et al. offered their condolences to the deceased’s family and prayed for the departed soul.
