A Pakistani footballer, Amanullah Rauf Baloch, has reportedly gone missing in Oslo during the Norway Cup tournament. Baloch, a player from the Muslim Hands Street Football team, disappeared on the opening day of the event and has been untraceable since.
Sources indicate that Amanullah, who traveled to Oslo with the Pakistani squad for the Norway Cup Street Football Championship, separated from his teammates before the tournament commenced. Since then, he has cut off all communication with the team’s management and fellow players. It has been confirmed that he is still in possession of his passport.
Team officials, who have made several attempts to reach out to Amanullah, expressed concern over his sudden disappearance. The player hails from Lyari, Karachi, an area known for its passionate football culture.
This incident follows a pattern of Pakistani athletes disappearing during international sporting events. Just last month, two students from Punjab University, Shazil Ahmed and Nadeem Ali, vanished while participating in the World University Games held in Germany. Similarly, in August last year, three national hockey players—Murtaza Yaqoob, Ihtesham Aslam, and Abdul Rahman—along with the team’s physiotherapist, did not return to Pakistan after an official tour to Poland. Reports suggest that these individuals have sought political asylum abroad.
According to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), the three hockey players were scheduled to attend a training camp in preparation for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy, but failed to report back.
