Naseer Ahmed, the most decorated player in Pakistan’s volleyball history, shares insights into his career and his role as Technical Director at the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) in an exclusive interview with Sports Side correspondent Umair Waseem. He discusses the Pakistan team’s recent successes, the upcoming volleyball league, and efforts to elevate volleyball in Pakistan.
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Q1: Let’s start with your early life and childhood. How did you get into volleyball?
“I spent my childhood in a village near Shakargarh called Mariyaal Station. There used to be a national-level volleyball event held in our village, where big names like Mazhar Fareed, Qaiser Mustafa, Ayub Khokar, and Farooq Pola used to play. I grew up watching them and was inspired to start playing volleyball.”
Q2: When did you start playing for Pakistan?
“I was selected for the first time in 2003. I made it to the senior team by accident because some of the army players were supposed to be selected but weren’t, so I was chosen instead. I traveled with the team as an emerging player, got consistent chances, performed well, and eventually secured my place in the team. There were many ups and downs along the way.”
Q3: Now let’s talk about the leagues. You are one of the most prominent Pakistani players and have played in various leagues worldwide. How important was the league experience in your career?
“I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to play in leagues early in my career. I played for the Gohar Club in Iran, which was a second-division club at the time, and Alhamdulillah, we made it to the first division. The next year, I played another season in Iran, then moved to the UAE, where I played for three to four years with the Ajman Club and Shabab Club. In 2009 and 2010, I returned to Iran and then went back to the UAE for two more seasons. Later, I played for different clubs in Lebanon.”
Q4: Speaking of leagues, the Pakistan Volleyball Federation announced a league a few months ago. What is the update on that?
“The Pakistan Volleyball Federation is going to launch an international-level league this year, InshaAllah. Similar to the PSL, teams will be based in different cities. The potential start date is either at the end of December or the beginning of January next year. While nothing is confirmed yet, it will be announced soon.”
Q5: You retired in 2018. You could have played more. What was the reason for your retirement, and how did you join the PVF as Technical Director?
“I retired after the 2017 Asian Championship, which was my last international tournament. After that, I played in a few leagues but retired shortly afterward. There were no specific reasons for my retirement; it was always my intention to quit volleyball respectfully and in a dignified way. I didn’t want people to say I wasn’t good enough anymore. I retired when I felt it was time to give younger players a chance. Veteran players should retire with dignity and allow youngsters to step in.
As for how I joined the PVF, there was no initial intention of joining the federation. However, the chairman asked me to join him and give him my time because he wanted to take young people with him, and I was honored to be selected. Alhamdulillah, since joining, we have been working hard to improve things with the help of the chairman and the rest of the staff.”
Q6: In recent times, Pakistan volleyball has achieved significant success, hosting Australia and winning against them. The U-18 team also won the bronze medal. What was the process behind this success?
“This recent success didn’t happen overnight. We didn’t have a magic wand that we waved and succeeded. It is the result of 10 to 20 years of hard work by the federation. Our chairman has been instrumental in this, and we are his soldiers, working with him and learning a lot. Hosting Australia was a great honor for the Pakistan Volleyball Federation, and winning all three matches was an excellent achievement. Additionally, our U-18 team has shown great progress. A few years ago, we didn’t have enough resources for multiple teams, but now we have teams in different age groups. We have been on this mission to develop a backup of talented players for years.”
Q7: As someone in management, how do you ensure today’s players do not face the same challenges you did during your career?
“Problems never fully disappear; they are always there in one form or another. However, we are trying to improve, and things are getting better. Our team is receiving facilities that we didn’t have in our time. We are constantly working to solve the problems.”
Q8: What is the situation of women’s volleyball in Pakistan? What is the PVF doing to improve it?
“The Pakistan Volleyball Federation is confident that our women also have opportunities to play. However, our culture doesn’t support women’s sports as much as it should, so we cannot take our women’s team to the same level as countries like India, Iran, or Sri Lanka. Despite this, we are working hard. We are conducting a talent hunt, but there are many challenges for girls. Often, after we bring girls into the team, they get married and leave, and we are left with nothing. We are also trying to include players from ages 16 to 20 so that by the time they are 24 or 25, they are experienced enough to play at a high level.”
Q9: What are the Pakistan Volleyball Federation’s future goals?
“Our target is to be among the top three teams in Asia. Our team came second in the AVC Challenge Cup, our U-18 team won the bronze medal, and our team also qualified for the World Championship. I believe we should organize more international competitions in Pakistan to spark public interest in volleyball, which will encourage parents to motivate their children to take up the sport. This is one of our future goals.”
Q10: What is your message to young players in this sport?
“My message to young players is to focus on both sports and education. I know it is difficult to manage both at the same time, but if a good sportsman doesn’t have an education, he cannot achieve much. Education is essential. If you combine education with sports, it will be your strength. So, study and play sports—this will be your plus point.”
As technical Director of the Pakistan Volleyball Federation, Naseer Ahmed plays a vital role in shaping the future of the sport, aiming for international success and raising the standard of volleyball in Pakistan. His message to young players—balancing education with sports—highlights his vision for a well-rounded generation of athletes.
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