Karachi Port Trust FC

{{Short description|Pakistani football club}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Karachi Port Trust | image = KPTFClogo.png | upright = 0.8 | fullname = Karachi Port Trust Football Club | nickname = The Portmen | short name = KPT | founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1887}} | dissolved = {{Start date and age|2021}} | ground = KPT Stadium | capacity = 20,000<ref>https://www.footballgroundmap.com/ground/kpt-stadium/karachi-port-trust</ref> | coordinates = | owntitle = | owner = Karachi Port Trust | league = | season = | position = | kit_alt1 = | pattern_la1 = _adidaswhite | pattern_b1 = _bluegradiantstripes | pattern_ra1 = _adidaswhite | pattern_sh1 = _adidaswhite | pattern_so1 = _bluetop | leftarm1 = FFFFFF | body1 = FFFFFF | rightarm1 = FFFFFF | shorts1 = FFFFFF | socks1 = 2D68C4 | kit_alt2 = | pattern_la2 = _bluesides_arka | pattern_b2 = _bluesides_arka | pattern_ra2 = _bluesides_arka | pattern_sh2 = _thinblue stripes | pattern_so2 = _whitetop | leftarm2 = _skyblueborder | body2 = | rightarm2 = _skyblueborder | current = | website = }}

'''Karachi Port Trust Football Club''' served as the football section of Karachi Port Trust. Founded during the British Raj, it is one the oldest football teams in Pakistan. Based in Kharadar, Karachi, the club played their home matches at KPT Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Karachi Port Trust football club information at Football Ground Map|url=https://www.footballgroundmap.com/team/karachi-port-trust|access-date=2020-07-25|website=www.footballgroundmap.com|archive-date=2019-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016045208/https://www.footballgroundmap.com/team/karachi-port-trust|url-status=live}}</ref> The club used to compete in the National Football Championship and Pakistan Premier League.

== History ==

=== Early years === The football team was established during the British Raj, and is believed to have been founded in 1887, the year the Karachi Port Trust was established.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Pakistan - Foundation Dates of Clubs |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/pakifound.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219140415/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/pakifound.html |archive-date=2024-02-19 |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=www.rsssf.org}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=natasha.raheel |date=2012-11-13 |title=PPFL weekly review: KPT football club, oldest but not the best |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/465141/ppfl-weekly-review-kpt-football-club-oldest-but-not-the-best |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref> By the 1930s, the team was reported playing in several tournaments in Karachi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Saturday 22 February 1936 |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/19360222/205/0013 |website=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>

=== Post-independence (1947–1960s) === In 1959, the team captained by Pakistan national team left winger Ibrahim, and including other internationals such as goalkeeper Shamoo Abdul Ghani, toured Portuguese-ruled Goa for two friendlies.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ray |first=Rishav |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Game_of_Two_Halves/58gUEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=karachi+port+trust+football&pg=PA132&printsec=frontcover |title=A Game of Two Halves: The Story of the Golden Era of Indian Club Football |date=2024-07-19 |publisher=Exceller Books |pages=132 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-09-16 |title=The keeper of Goa’s dreams |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/the-keeper-of-goas-dreams/articleshow/65833888.cms |access-date=2025-09-20 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> An opening game in Panaji against a local Goa XI ended in a 1–1 draw, and a second match in Margão against a Goa Selection ending in a 0–1 loss for KPT.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-03-01 |title=When Port Trust Club of Karachi came to Goa |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/when-port-trust-club-of-karachi-came-to-goa/articleshow/74429857.cms |access-date=2025-06-13 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> Some sources state a win for KPT in the first match.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dimeo |first=Paul |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Soccer_in_South_Asia/7Zm0AQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=karachi+port+trust+football&pg=PA82&printsec=frontcover |title=Soccer in South Asia: Empire, Nation, Diaspora |last2=Mills |first2=James |date=2013-10-23 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-27650-8 |pages=82 |language=en |quote=The political agenda behind the selection of touring teams was obvious in the invitation extended to one of Pakistan’s leading clubs in 1959. Port Trust Club of Karachi played in front of crowds of 7,000 and 15,000, winning the first game and losing the latter and of course symbolising the solidarity of two anti-India footballing nations.}}</ref>

=== National success and continental debut (1960s–1992) === {{football squad on pitch|align=left | GK_nat = PAK| GK = Nisar | RCB_nat = PAK| RCB = Abdur Rahman | LCB_nat = PAK| LCB = Turab | RCM_nat = PAK| RCM = Sikandar | DM_nat = PAK| DM = Abdur Rahim | LCM_nat = PAK| LCM = Ismail Roshu | RW_nat = PAK| RW = Mirdad (c) | RCF_nat = PAK| RCF = Ghani | CF_nat = PAK| CF= Mahmood | LCF_nat = PAK| LCF = Taqi | LW_nat = PAK| LW = Majid | caption = Karachi Port Trust's starting line-up at the 1964 Aga Khan Gold Cup final replay against Dhaka Mohammedan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1964.11.13 — South Asian Newspapers |url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19641113-01.1.6 |access-date=2025-09-26 |website=gpa.eastview.com}}</ref> }} In 1964, the team jointly won 1964 Aga Khan Gold Cup along with Dhaka Mohammedan, after drawing the final match by nil,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1964.11.11 — South Asian Newspapers |url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19641111-01.1.6 |access-date=2025-09-25 |website=gpa.eastview.com}}</ref> and the replay match by 1–1.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1964.11.13 — South Asian Newspapers |url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19641113-01.1.6 |access-date=2025-09-25 |website=gpa.eastview.com}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=Pakistan - List of Cup Winners |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/pakicuphist.html |access-date=26 April 2010 |website=RSSSF |archive-date=24 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724192614/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/pakicuphist.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 1987 National Football Championship, the club finished as runner-up after falling against Crescent Textile Mills in the final.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan - List of Champions |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/pakichamp.html |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=www.rsssf.org |archive-date=2023-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412080915/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/pakichamp.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

KPT won the National Departmental Championship in 1990. Subsequently the team played at the 1991–92 Asian Cup Winners’ Cup, where they lost 0–9 on aggregate to Indonesia’'s Pupuk Kaltim (6–0, 3–0) in the first round.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Asian Club Competitions 1991/92 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/ascup92.html |access-date=2025-09-20 |website=www.rsssf.org}}</ref>

=== Entry to the Pakistan Premier League (2004–2011) === The club is one of the founding members of current top-flight Pakistan Premier League, appearing in every season since the first edition in 2004.

=== Crisis years (2012–2019) === In 2012, the club was hit hard in middle of a crisis as KESC and NBP signed its key players, and the consequent disappointing results and ongoing struggle with the management.<ref name=":2" /> The team ultimately was relegated in the 2018-19 Pakistan Premier League.

=== Disbandment === The club was closed after the shutdown of departmental sports in Pakistan in September 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Department players, officials remain apprehensive |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/896068-department-players-officials-remain-apprehensive |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en |archive-date=2024-05-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530171645/https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/896068-department-players-officials-remain-apprehensive |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Footballers plan protest to get departmental teams back |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/949482-footballers-plan-protest-to-get-departmental-teams-back |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Premier Football League must be held now, demand officials |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1090593-pakistan-premier-football-league-must-be-held-now-demand-officials |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en |archive-date=2024-05-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530171644/https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1090593-pakistan-premier-football-league-must-be-held-now-demand-officials |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2023, the parental organization hinted at the revive the sport clubs after the restoration of departmental sports in Pakistan in 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |title=KPT set to revive cricket, football teams |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1036594-kpt-set-to-revive-cricket-football-teams |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref> however no progress was made.<ref>{{Cite web |title=No progress in departmental sports revival |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1267077-no-progress-in-departmental-sports-revival |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref>

== Stadium == The Karachi Port Trust Stadium in Karachi serve as the team own ground. It has regularly hosted several Pakistan Premier League and National Challenge Cup fixtures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=InpaperMagazine |first=From |date=2013-01-13 |title=No competition! |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/778372/no-competition |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=Dawn |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Andrew |first=Marylou |date=2014-07-01 |title=Beyond cricket |url=https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1140582 |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=Aurora Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

== Rivalries == Karachi Port Trust and Pakistan International Airlines had a long lasting rivalry in Karachi football, with fixtures between the two teams described as meetings of arch-rivals.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-09-24 |title=KPT beat PIA 2-1 |url=https://nation.com.pk/24-Sep-2010/KPT-beat-PIA-21 |access-date=2025-09-20 |website=The Nation |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Performance in AFC competitions == {{See|Pakistani football clubs in Asian competitions}}{{legend2|#CCFFCC|Win|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend2|#FFFFCC|Draw|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend2|#FFCCCC|Loss|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {| class="wikitable" !Season !Competition !Round !Club !First leg !Second leg !Aggregate |- |1991–92 |Asian Cup Winners' Cup |First Round | align="left" |{{flagicon|IDN}} Pupuk Kaltim | style="text-align:center; background:#FFCCCC" |0–6 | style="text-align:center; background:#FFCCCC" |0–3 | style="text-align:center; background:#FFCCCC" |0–9 |}

== Honours ==

=== Domestic === *'''National Departmental Championship/PFF President's Cup''' **Winners (1): 1990<ref name=":1" /> **Runner-up (2): 1998, 2003 *'''KPT-PFF Cup''' **Winners (1): 2010 === Invitational === *'''Aga Khan Gold Cup''' **Winners (1): 1964 (shared)<ref name="AgaKhanGoldCup">{{cite web |author=Tom Lewis |author2=Neil Morrison |author3=Novan Herfiyana |author4=Karel Stokkermans |date=2003 |title=Aga Khan Gold Cup (Dhaka, Bangladesh) |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/agakhan.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726210207/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/agakhan.html |archive-date=26 July 2014 |access-date=4 February 2021 |website=RSSSF}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://globalsportsarchive.com/team/soccer/karachi-port-trust/14161/ Karachi Port Trust FC] at Global Sports Archive

{{DEFAULTSORT:Karachi Port Trust Fc}} Category:Karachi Port Trust FC Category:Works football clubs in Pakistan Category:Football in Karachi Category:Association football clubs established in 1887 Category:1887 establishments in the British Empire Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 2021 Category:2021 disestablishments in Pakistan Category:Defunct football clubs in Pakistan