Double boost for Pakistani Reds

The Reds have a young and growing fanbase in Pakistan and today's announcement is testament to how much the club appreciate the support it receives from Pakistani fans - not just in Pakistan but also around the world, including here in England.

The new Twitter account - @PakistanLFC - is the first of its kind for a professional football club and has already proved popular with fans in Pakistan - with rival clubs' supporters even tweeting the account to praise Liverpool for the inclusive nature of the initiative.

As well as the new Twitter account, the club have also granted official status to Pak Reds, making it the first ever official Liverpool FC supporters' club in Pakistan.

Liverpoolfc.com caught up with Nausherwan Effandi, chairperson of Pak Reds, to find out more about Liverpool's supporter base in Pakistan and why this week's developments mean so much to Pakistani fans...

Congratulations on the supporters' club being granted official status. What does this mean for you personally and your members?

First of all I would like to thank LFC personally and on behalf of the Pak Reds team. It's a great honour to be granted official status. We wanted to bridge the gap between Liverpool FC and the fans within Pakistan and by getting official status we have managed just that.

Why did you decide to launch a supporters' club?

Pak Reds was launched to give supporters in Pakistan, as well as those around the world of Pakistani origin, an identity and a common platform to unite on. We want LFC to be the most popular football club in the country with the largest fan base compared to other clubs.

Apart from this we want Liverpool's name to be attached to numerous charities and goodwill projects which we have lined up. We hope to arrange a match screening where we'll be inviting Reds from across the border in India to come and watch the game with us and also take part in a friendly football match. It is commendable how the club indeed brings people together.

Why did you pick Liverpool as your team?

I became a Liverpool fan solely because of the relationship between the club and its fans. How tragedies bring the Liverpool family together really touched me. A number of things inspired me: Bill Shankly's quotes, King Kenny's devotion to the cause, the passion of the Kopites... I can go on and on, but to sum it up, I just love and admire the 'Liverpool way'.

Who was your first idol for Liverpool?

Michael Owen, although that love affair didn't end well!

Are Liverpool FC popular in Pakistan?

Liverpool has a good amount of following in Pakistan but most importantly, it's a very passionate and dedicated following. Other than some old school fans, most of them are teenagers who haven't seen the great Liverpool years but still they support Liverpool for what it represents.

What is it about Liverpool FC that appeals to fans in Pakistan?

The rich history and culture of the club makes each and every Liverpool fan passionate. The club's values are inspirational to say the least for everyone who supports this great club. Pakistani Liverpool fans are no different in this aspect.

Pakistan is not known as a football-loving country - particularly with cricket so popular. Are you starting to see football and LFC grow in terms of popularity?

Pakistan is a sports loving country. Other than being world champions in cricket twice, Pakistan is a record five times field hockey champion and has produced one squash talent after the other owing to our interest in sport overall. So I have no doubt that football and Liverpool's popularity will keep on growing.

If fans in Pakistan would like to join Pak Reds, how would they do it?

As Pak Reds operate in four cities now, we have designated coordinators for every city. Their contact details are available on our website www.pakreds.pk and our facebook page www.facebook.com/PakReds. All Liverpool fans in Pakistan can join us by simply contacting a co-ordinator and the co-ordinator will guide them accordingly.

Finally, how did you feel when LFC announced it was launching an official Twitter account for Pakistani fans? No other club in the world has done this...

Honestly, I'm not surprised. I know Liverpool values its fans the most and it is something even the opposition fans recognise. There is something magical about Liverpool which unites everyone. It was a proud moment indeed when the official Twitter account was launched and yet again I feel grateful to support the best football club in the world.

To follow the official Liverpool FC twitter account for Pakistan, click here>>