The 2nd NAM Memorial Chitral Football Championships concluded in Chitral earlier
this week, which were branded as the “DFA Chitral Cup” for the first time, with
CoPilotCares, a CSR Arm of a health tech company based in the US, acting as it’s title
sponsor. The tournament was held in the memory of Nadeem Ahmed Mumtaz of Fazal Din
and Sons, a prominent Lahori businessman and patron of education in Chitral.
The 20 club tournament featured clubs from all over Lower Chitral, and has served as
the biggest invite-only tournament ever to be held in the region. This football tournament
was organized in preparation for the annual Ufone KPK-Balochistan championships held in
Peshawar. The previous edition adequately prepared the DFA Chitral team for the 2021
Ufone Championships, where they beat DFA Mardan in the KPK tournament final and
Muslim Club Chaman from Balochistan in the Super Final, to reign supreme out of 71
districts in both provinces.
Many of those players from the winning team participated in the DFA Chitral Cup,
such as Syed Ghazi, Syeed Ur Rehman, Azhar, Shahiran Laal, Mazhar Ali, and Saqib Nizam.
The final was held at the Government Centennial Model High School Football
Stadium in the main Chitral town, and was contested between HQ Jughoor and Danin. The
final score was 1-1, and HQ Jughoor ended up winning 5-3 on penalties to secure their first
ever DFA Chitral Cup.
The Man of the Match award was awarded to Fiyaz Ahmed from HQ Jughoor,
whereas the Man of the Tournament was award to Sohail Zia from Danin. The Chief Guest of
the occasion of the Khateeb of the Shahi Masjid of Chitral Khaleeq Uz Zaman, whereas other
distinguished personalities at the event were celebrated local poet Dul Mama, Team Owner
DFA Chitral Bilal Mumtaz, Patron DFA Chitral Hussain Ahmed, and VC Danin Nazim Munir
Ahmed.
Bilal Mumtaz had the following to say, “This was the first time an event was
successfully organized at the main stadium of Chitral in the winter-time, where no one
traditionally holds tournaments due to extreme weather. However, a Super Cup was held
among the best performing teams of Chitral a year ago in Nov ‘21 which adequately
prepared the players for the KPK-Balochistan wide District Football championships in
Peshawar, held a few weeks after the event. The team won out of 71 districts in Balochistan
and KPK, and this year with an even bigger competition held under the guise of the DFA
Chitral Cup in its inaugural competition with support from institutions has won the plaudits
of many in Chitral. This is the final tournament scheduled for the calendar year in Chitral
with successful youth and veterans tournaments held earlier that can develop community
building in the region for future generations”
CoPilotCares had been involved in organizing 3 other tournaments this year for the
DFA Chitral, whereas Millat Tractors, Kohat Cement, and a generous donation from a local
Chitrali where additional supporting partners for the DFA Chitral Cup.