Football fans in Balochistan’s coastal cities of Gwadar and Pasni have braced themselves for the Fifa World Cup taking place in Qatar. Enthusiastic fans have decorated walls with murals and stencil art portraits of their favourite players, wreathed their walls with the flags of their favourite teams, and even sang rap songs ahead of the world cup.
According to reports, stencil artist Wahab Baloch drew portraits of football players Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., and Cristiano Ronaldo on a wall near the Fish Harbor Jetty in the coastal city of Pasni.
People from all walks of life saw and appreciated the art, including Sand Art Pasni chairman Hussain Zaib. Wahab Baloch thanked the admirers and said that the art was intended to motivate the youth to participate in sports.
It is pertinent to mention that the football fans in Gwadar and the Baloch-dominated Maleer and Lyari areas of Karachi wreathed their walls in the flags of their favourite teams. Makhtoom Murad Baloch, a resident of the Siddique Goth, wrote and sang a rap song for the Fifa World Cup.
The Fifa World Cup is the grandest sporting event in the world, one that brings people from every corner of the planet together to support and cheer for their favourite teams. The World Cup kicked off on November 20 with the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador, which the latter won. The tournament, which has cost an estimated $270 billion, will be played between 32 teams and end on December 18.
Western media and activist groups have lambasted Qatar for its harsh restrictions on the LGBTQ+ community, the ban on alcohol in stadiums and the exploitation of migrant workers. The event has been marked with controversy, with many prominent faces, such as singer Dua Lipa, refusing to attend it.