NA body seeks review on amendments by FIFA

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan football’s international suspension is bound to disrupt national and global activities, the National Assembly Standing Committee has asked the PFF’s NC to constitute a review committee within 15 days to mediate with the Congress members. A letter from the NA Committee received by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalization Committee on Tuesday demanded that a review be initiated.

“The chairman of the Normalization Committee is directed to constitute a Review Committee within 15 days to mediate between the Normalization Committee and the newly-elected Congress on the constitutional amendments proposed by FIFA and AFC. The Review Committee will also work to resolve the issue of the suspension/ban of 83 individuals, ensuring compliance with the rules and constitution of PFF and FIF,” the NA Committee letter says.

The NA Committee has already constituted a Sub-Committee under the Convenership of Anjum Aqeel Khan, NINA, with Dr Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto and Jamshaid Ahmed Dasti as members. Director General (DG) of the Pakistan Sports Board and Mr Sohaib.

The Terms of Reference for the Sub-Committee as mentioned in the letter written on Tuesday are: To examine the selection and eligibility criteria for Congress membership, as well as the authority responsible for appointing Congress members; To review the appointment of the three controversial Congress women members and determine the authority responsible for their selection under the PFF Constitution; To examine the criteria for the appointment of the PFF President; To assess the eligibility criteria for district clubs’ membership; To evaluate FIFA’s mandate for appointing the Chairman and members of Normalization Committee and the extent to which it has achieved its objectives; To make recommendations for FIFA; The Sub-Committee will submit its report within 15 days.

Though the NA Committee has made a sincere effort to settle the football crises, the matter is now out of the hands of the NA Committee, the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) and the PSB.

From here on any intervention from the government bodies and legislatives would complicate the matter further. Now if any department/institution can play a positive role (mediation role) it is the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA). International sports bodies hardly pay heed to government intervention.

The fact of the matter is that any such attempt to intervene in federations internal matters proves counter-productive as was the case in PFF suspension almost thrice in recent years. When there was no suspension, the PSB and Ministry was in far better position to take up the matter with the FIFA through POA.

Now it is the Olympic Committee which has the moral authority to mediate using its international sources and initiating coordination/meeting between NC and elected Congress members. Any attempt by government circles would complicate the matter further.