{{Short description|Pakistani football club}} {{Use British English|date=December 2013}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Pakistan Railways | image = PakRailwaysFC.png | image_size = | upright = | fullname = Pakistan Railways Football Club | nickname = The Railwaymen | short name = PRFC | founded = {{start date and age|df=yes|1880s}} (as ''North-Western Railway Football Club'') | dissolved = | ground = Railway Stadium | capacity = 5,000 | coordinates = | owntitle = | owner = Pakistan Railways | chrtitle = Chairman | chairman = Aamir Ali Baloch | mgrtitle = Head coach | manager = | league = | season = | position = | pattern_la1 = _yellowshoulders | pattern_b1 = _Roma1 | pattern_ra1 = _yellowshoulders | pattern_sh1 = | pattern_so1 = | leftarm1 = 701C1C | body1 = 701C1C | rightarm1 = 701C1C | shorts1 = 701C1C | socks1 = 701C1C | pattern_la2 = _whiteshoulders | pattern_b2 = _whiteshoulders | pattern_ra2 = _whiteshoulders | pattern_sh2 = _whitesides | pattern_so2 = _whitetop | leftarm2 = 9D9E9F | body2 = 9D9E9F | rightarm2 = 9D9E9F | shorts2 = 9D9E9F | socks2 = 9D9E9F | website = | current = }}
'''Pakistan Railways FC''' serves as the football section of Pakistan Railways, a state-owned railway company. Based in Lahore, the club play at the Railway Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/teams/pakistan/pakistan-railways/8085/|title=Pakistan - Pakistan Railways - Results, fixtures, squad, statistics, photos, videos and news - Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com|access-date=2022-03-17|archive-date=2022-03-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317023136/https://int.soccerway.com/teams/pakistan/pakistan-railways/8085/|url-status=live}}</ref> Founded in the 1880s during the British Raj as ''North-Western Railway Football Club'', it is one of the oldest football clubs in Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ashdown |first=John |date=2010-02-03 |title=Which clubs are named after modes of transport? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/feb/03/clubs-named-after-transport-knowledge |access-date=2025-09-24 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The club used to compete in the National Football Championship and Pakistan Premier League. The club regularly participates in the PFF National Challenge Cup.
==History==
=== North-Western Railway (1880s–1961) === left|thumb|North-Western Railway football team, runners-up at the 1946 Inter-Railways Football Tournament The North-Western Railway Football Club was founded in the 1880s as representative of the North Western State Railway in football competitions in British India. In its early years, it was operated predominantly by the British railwaymen and officials. The team has been recorded as playing in several football tournaments in the 1890s in Lahore.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Friday 28 January 1898 |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/18980128/052/0005 |website=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Wednesday 19 October 1898 |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/18981019/026/0006 |website=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
At the 1938 Durand Cup, the Lahore-based side finished runner-ups after losing against the South Wales Borderers football team in the final by 0–1.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=India - List of Durand Cup Finals |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/indiadurandcuphist.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729142839/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/indiadurandcuphist.html |archive-date=2014-07-29 |access-date=2021-08-04 |website=RSSSF}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Durand Cup |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/durandcup.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627235237/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/durandcup.html |archive-date=2020-06-27 |access-date=2021-08-04 |website=www.indianfootball.de}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Sunday 02 October 1938 |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/19381002/172/0013 |website=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
After the partition of British India in 1947, most of the North Western Railway network was allocated to Pakistan, and the team remained active in the newly formed country. Immediately after, the team began playing in several tournaments across Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Saturday 13 March 1948 |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/19480313/079/0006 |website=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Sunday 14 March 1948 |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/19480314/178/0011 |website=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
In the 1954 National Football Championship, the team finished as runner-up after losing to Punjab Blues in the final. In 1956, competing as Railway White, it again placed second, this time against Balochistan.<ref name="List">{{cite web |last=Ali Wahidi |first=Syed Akber |date=March 17, 2016 |title=Pakistan – List of Champions |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/pakichamp.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412080915/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/pakichamp.html |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |access-date=October 8, 2018 |website=RSSSF}}</ref> In 1958, the team again lost in the final against Punjab Blues.<ref name="List" />
=== Pakistan Western Railway (1961–1974) === In early 1961, the North-Western Railway was renamed as Pakistan Western Railway, and the club name was accordingly changed. A separate side, Pakistan Eastern Railway, represented the railway division in East Pakistan.
Between 1963 and 1966, the team finished runner-up in three consecutive finals, each time against Karachi.<ref name="List" />{{football squad on pitch|align=left|GK_nat=PAK|GK=Latif|RCB_nat=PAK|RCB=Alam Butt|LCB_nat=PAK|LCB=Abdul Haq|RCM_nat=PAK|RCM=Ramzan|DM_nat=PAK|DM=Rashid|LCM_nat=PAK|LCM=Rana|RW_nat=PAK|RW=Talib|RCF_nat=PAK|RCF=Saleem|CF_nat=PAK|CF=Idrees Sr.|LCF_nat=PAK|LCF=Jehan|LW_nat=PAK|LW=Jawed|caption=Pakistan Western Railway's starting line-up at the 1963 Aga Khan Gold Cup final against Dhaka Wanderers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1963.10.30 — South Asian Newspapers |url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/newspapers/paob19631030-01.1.6|access-date=2025-03-31 |website=gpa.eastview.com|archive-date=2025-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250331154506/https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19631030-01.1.6|url-status=live}}</ref>}}In 1963, the club won its first major honour by lifting the Aga Khan Gold Cup after defeating Dhaka Wanderers in the final.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1963.10.30 — South Asian Newspapers |url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/newspapers/paob19631030-01.1.6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250331154506/https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19631030-01.1.6 |archive-date=2025-03-31 |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=gpa.eastview.com}}</ref><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>
After the finalisation of the 1964 Aga Khan Gold Cup, Persija played exhibition matches against Karachi Selected winning 2–0 at the KMC Stadium,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1964.11.16 — South Asian Newspapers|url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19641116-01.1.6|access-date=2026-03-21|website=gpa.eastview.com}}</ref> Pakistan Western Railway drawing 1–1 at the Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1964.11.19 — South Asian Newspapers|url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19641119-01.1.6|access-date=2026-03-21|website=gpa.eastview.com}}</ref> and Lahore Selected winning 4–2 at the Railway Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1964.11.22 — South Asian Newspapers|url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19641122-01.1.6|access-date=2026-03-21|website=gpa.eastview.com}}</ref> {{multiple image | align = right | direction = horizontal | image1 = 1969 National Football Championship-winning Pakistan Western Railway team.jpg | width1 = | image2 = 1969 National Football Championship-winning Pakistan Railways team pictured with Yahya Khan.jpg | footer = 1969 National Football Championship-winning Pakistan Western Railway team | total_width = | width2 = }} In 1969, it secured its first National Football Championship title by defeating Karachi.<ref name="List" />
=== Renaming to Pakistan Railways (1974–2005) === Following the renaming of Pakistan Western Railway to Pakistan Railways in 1974, three years after the independence of Bangladesh and losing the eastern wing, the club adopted its present name.
In the 1976 National Football Championship, the team lost to Pakistan Airlines in the final. In 1982, it again finished runner-ups after losing to Habib Bank.<ref name="List" />
In 1984, it won its second National Football Championship, after overcoming WAPDA in the final.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan 1984 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/paki84.html |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=www.rsssf.org}}</ref> Following the 1985 Quaid-e-Azam International Tournament, the visiting North Korean team played three exhibition matches across Pakistan. In the match against Pakistan Railways, they lost 1–3 in Multan.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bhatti|first=Mukhtar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q3vhOwAACAAJ|title=Pakistan Sports: An Almanac of Pakistan Sports with Complete Records 1947-1999|date=1999|publisher=Bhatti Publications|pages=246|language=en}}</ref>
In 1989, the team finished runner-ups after losing to Punjab Red.<ref name="List" />
=== Pakistan Premier League era (2006–2015) === After the revamp in Pakistani football and the discontinuation of the National Football Championship, the club competed in the second-tier, winning the 2005–06 PFF National League, returning to the top flight.
They were relegated from Pakistan Premier League after two years in the 2007–08 Pakistan Premier League. Chaudhry Muhammad Asghar was Pakistan Railways football coach till that time. The coaching was then passed to Muhammad Rasheed, the ex-national player and Pakistan Railways player.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-01-01 |title=Railways hold Airmen 0-0 in PFF league |url=http://www.brecorder.com/news/3589143 |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Brecorder |language=en}}</ref>
Railways again qualified to the top-tier by winning their departmental leg of the 2013 PFF League.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=The Newspaper's Sports |date=2013-12-22 |title=Railways, Baloch FC Quetta promoted to PPFL |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1075557 |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref> It remained in the top tier until getting relegated again in the 2014–15 Pakistan Premier League.
=== 2023–present === Following the domestic football revamp in the country in 2023, departmental clubs including Railways remained competing in the PFF National Challenge Cup.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wasim |first=Umaid |date=2023-01-25 |title=Domestic football returns as Challenge Cup kicks off |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1733459 |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en |archive-date=2024-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201210317/https://www.dawn.com/news/1733459 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=PFF National Challenge Cup kicks off today |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1033655-pff-national-challenge-cup-kicks-off-today |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref>
== Stadium == Since 1932, the Railway Stadium in Garhi Shahu, Lahore, owned by the Pakistan Railways Sports Board serve as the team own ground. It has also been a historic football venue of Pakistan, hosting several domestic and international football matches.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-12-28 |title=PFF League kicks off today |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/336157/pff-league-kicks-off-today |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=Dawn |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tatheer |date=2020-03-20 |title=Railway Stadium closed for sports activities |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/631641-railway-stadium-closed-for-sports-activities |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref>
== Notable players == {{Category see also|Pakistan Railways F.C. players}} The players below had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed, represented their countries before or after playing for ''Pakistan Railways''. {{col-begin}} {{col-5}} '''Asia''' * {{flagicon|IND}} Taj Mohammad Sr. (1957) {{col-end}}
== Honours ==
=== Domestic ===
==== Leagues ==== * '''National Football Championship''' ** '''Winners (2):''' 1969, 1984<ref name="List" /> ** Runners-up (9): 1954, 1956, 1958, 1963, 1964–65, 1966, 1976, 1982, 1989<ref name="List" /> * '''Football Federation League''' ** '''Winners (2):''' 2005–06, 2013
===Invitational=== * '''Durand Cup''' ** Runners-up (1): 1938<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":12" /><ref name=":0" /> * '''Aga Khan Gold Cup''' ** '''Winners (1):''' 1963<ref name=":1" /><ref name="AgaKhanGoldCup" />
== See also ==
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://globalsportsarchive.com/team/soccer/pakistan-railways-fc/14186/ Pakistan Railways FC] at Global Sports Archive
Category:Pakistan Railways F.C. Category:Railway association football clubs Category:Works football clubs in Pakistan Category:Pakistan Railways sports Category:Football in Lahore