Saud to replace Haroon as PFF NC chairman

ISLAMABAD: Saud Azim Hashimi will replace Haroon Malik as the chairman of the Normalisation Committee (NC) of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) from February 16 with the FIFA reducing the NC strength from four to three members.

As revealed by ‘The News’ in the previous edition, sitting Haroon Malik sent his resignation to the FIFA, expressing his inability to continue at the expiry of his tenure (February 15). From February 16, Saud will take over as the chairman of the NC with Muhammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar and Haris Azmat being the other two members.

The FIFA has also extended the mandate of the NC until July 31, 2025. Saud previously worked as the FIFA-appointed NC member. On January 20, 2025, an absolute majority of

PFF Congress members wrote to the Normalisation Committee rejecting the version of the PFF Constitution presented to them on November 18, 2024 by the FIFA and the AFC. They insisted that only the current members of the PFF Congress should be eligible to run for the position of PFF president and requested that the relevant changes be discussed during the PFF Congress on January 24, 2025.

On 21 January 2025, FIFA informed the relevant PFF Congress members that the agenda of said Congress could no longer be amended and only the changes previously submitted by the Normalisation Committee would be considered and put to a vote.

On January 22, representatives of FIFA and the AFC held separate meetings with all PFF Congress members, explaining that the draft PFF Constitution discussed with the PFF Congress members on 18 November 2024 was fully in line with FIFA and the AFC’s requirements. On January 23, the same PFF Congress members reiterated their unwillingness to approve the version of the PFF Constitution validated by FIFA and the AFC.

FIFA/AFC believes that the proposal submitted by the majority of PFF Congress members to restrict eligibility criteria for the position of PFF president would significantly reduce the pool of candidates and would go against the spirit of the Bureau’s decision to ensure free and democratic elections.

However, the Bureau decided on February 6 to suspend the PFF immediately stating the suspension will be lifted subject to the PFF Congress approving the version of the PFF Constitution presented by FIFA and the AFC.

As a result, and in compliance with article 13 of the FIFA Statutes, the PFF will lose all of its rights as a FIFA member with immediate effect and until further notice.

PFF representatives and club teams will therefore no longer be entitled to take part in international competitions, and neither the PFF nor its members or officials will be able to benefit from any development programmes, courses or training from FIFA or AFC. The Bureau also decided that the mandate of the Normalisation Committee be further extended until July 31, 2025 at the latest.