Ghulam Qadir Bakhsh (10 October 1946 – 2008), was a Pakistani footballer who played as a midfielder.[1] Nicknamed as Putla,[2][3] Qadir played in the 1960s and 1970s and captained the Pakistan national team in 1970.[1]
Early life
Bakhsh was born on 10 October 1947 in the Lyari locality of Karachi. He studied at Jamia Islamia Khada School and Private Education till intermediate level, where he started playing football at school level.[4][5] He later joined local club Baghdad Sports.[6]
Bakhsh was noticed while playing in the local Lyari side that beat Turkey’s visiting national team 4–0 in a charity match played to benefit the flood victims of East Pakistan.[8] He was subsequently called by the Pakistan national youth team in 1965 which toured Soviet Union. That same year, Qadir played with the national team in a three-test home series for the against FC Alga from the Soviet Union.[6]
In 1967, he featured for Pakistan in four friendly matches in Pakistan against Saudi Arabia, scoring the equalizer in the last match that ended in a 1–1 draw.[9] In the subsequent years, he also featured with the national team in test series against FC Kairat in 1968, and the Soviet Central Army team in 1969. In 1969, he featured in the Friendship Cup held in Iran, and the 1969 RCD Cup in Turkey.[6] In 1970, he was appointed as the vice-captain of the PFF XI team for the 1970 Friendship Cup in Iran after Younus Rana. Six months later, Bakhsh was appointed head captain for the 1970 RCD Cup, becoming the fourth player to captain the national team at the RCD Cup tournament after Muhammad Umer in 1965, Muhammad Lateef in 1967, and Sardar Aslam in 1969.[6]
Bakhsh was coach of President's XI that featured in the 1986 President's Gold Cup in Karachi which finished second in the tournament.[1][6][10]
Later life
After retirement from football, he served as sub engineer in the water board.[8] His sons Badr Qadir played football for Pakistan Airlines, Wasim Qadir for National Bank,[11] and Junaid Qadir for Karachi Port Trust, and are also Pakistan youth international players.[6]
His son Wasim Qadir played football for National Bank. In 2008, it was reported that Bakhsh had been partially paralyzed at the age of 63, and been receiving treatment at the Lyari General Hospital.[7][8] A stroke had left him unable to use his right leg, and in needs to undergo regular physiotherapy.[1] He passed away soon after.[1]
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