PFF restores membership of four departments

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalization Committee Disciplinary Committee finally restored Congress membership/voting rights of four departments that were refused participation in the last Congress meeting held on November 19.

The membership was restored following 50 days of wait and an appeal submitted by the sports departments of the Navy, PAF, Police, and Railways. All the four departments have been allowed to be part of the Congress and to cast their vote in PFF elections expected to be held later this month or early next month (as promised by NC in a Communication to FIFA).

The next Extraordinary PFF Congress meeting is expected to be held later this month. There are questions to be answered and decisions to be taken before the meeting. These include finalising criteria to elect women representatives. The laid down criteria is through Congress members voting. The best way forward is to follow the criteria of women’s representative elections as was done previously. “Now when the four departments voting rights is restored, the next obstacle is the criteria to be adopted for three women reps as Congress members, It should be done through Congress members voting rather than enforcing personal whims and wishes,” a former PFF official when contacted said.

The PFF Extraordinary Congress meeting is expected to be held later this month to decide on the criteria to be adopted for women’s candidature and on the amendments in the constitution/eligibility of the PFF Presidential candidate.

The Disciplinary Committee decision of department membership restoration says: Considering the contents of the Appeals and hearing the arguments of both parties, the Complaints/Appeals are allowed on the following terms: The Complainants/Departments are required to abide by the terms of the PFF Constitution and shall ensure their participation in future events; The Complainants shall ensure the compliance of the PFF Constitution in its letter and spirit and will not raise objections that are contrary to the principles of FIFA, AFC, and PFF; The competent authority of PFF shall issue the invitation letters to the Complainants/Appellants no.1 to 4 departments for their eligibility to participate in the PFF Congress; The PFF Secretariat is directed to submit the compliance report before the Disciplinary Committee.