Ahmed Jan (referee)
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Karachi, Sind Province, Pakistan
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
 | |||
| Born |
23 March 1952 Karachi, Sind Province, Pakistan | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Died |
23 July 2025 (aged 73) Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1984–1992 | National Football Championship | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1994–?? | FIFA listed | Referee | |
Ahmed Jan (Urdu: احمد جان; 23 March 1952 – 23 July 2025) was a Pakistani footballer who played as goalkeeper, and FIFA referee.
Jan was born on 23 March 1952 in Karachi, Pakistan. He was the oldest among eight siblings, seven brothers and one sister. His father, Nadir Khan, hailed from Swat in the North-West Frontier Province. Jan completed his matriculation at City Boys Secondary School in Karachi.[1]
Playing career
Jan began his football journey in 1968 as a goalkeeper for Makran Sports Old Golimar. Over the years, he went on to represent clubs such as Young Kalakot, Sindh Police, and the Pakistan Public Works Department (PPWD), before joining Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) in 1971, where he spent the majority of his playing career.[1][2] In 1971, he was selected to play for the Sindh provincial team during the National Football Championship held in Multan. However, in 1972, he withdrew from further trials due to internal team politics and favouritism.[1]
Refereeing career
Inspired by the officiating of renowned local referees such as Nabi Bakhsh, Bahadur Khan, Jan Muhammad, and Captain Amin, Jan developed a keen interest in refereeing.[1] With their encouragement, he pursued this path and was granted a national referee card in 1984. Jan was also encouraged to pursue refereeing by fellow KMC and Pakistan international captain Muhammad Umer.[2] Jan officiated matches across the country until 1992.[1]
In 1994, Jan was included in the FIFA International Referees List after successfully passing a fitness test during a refresher course in Delhi. He went on to officiate 13 international matches in countries including China, Cambodia, Singapore, the Maldives, and India.[1][3][2][4]