FIFA and AFC call for timely PFF elections

LAHORE: FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are taking Pakistan’s matter seriously and want to conduct the PFF elections within the given mandate, well-placed sources told The News.

According to sources both the bodies have also advised Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalisation Committee that it should complete the electoral process within the given mandate. FIFA has given the PFF NC March 15, 2024, as the deadline for completing the electoral process. Sources said that FIFA regularly reviews the PFF electoral process and wants to see it completed by March 15.

Following a few worst years of Pakistan’s football due to rifts among various factions FIFA had installed NC in September 2019 to normalise the situation and conduct the PFF elections.

NC kept taking extension for a few times due to various reasons and is now expected to meet the March 15 mandate.NC these days is conducting scrutiny of clubs and this correspondent has learnt that so far scrutiny has been conducted in 78 districts out of 142.

Meanwhile there is also an immense pressure on NC from the football stakeholders as they want free and fair elections of the PFF within the FIFA mandate.

In recent days stakeholders also recorded their protests in different cities. Apart from raising serious questions on referees elections held by the PFF few days, they demand transparent elections of the PFF.