Sports committee wants PFF issue resolved

ISLAMABAD: A Special sports committee — constituted to look into various sports federations’ working and performance — has expressed surprise and displeasure over the Rs500,000 monthly salary being drawn by the Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) ad-hoc administrator and has also decided to write a letter to the Lahore High Court to help settle the matter.

The committee meeting, which was chaired by Senator Ashok Kumar, was critical of Justice (r) Asad Munir’s football knowledge and interest in the game and his working. “It is surprising to see the administrator drawing a huge salary for doing nothing. If he has no interest in the game of football, it would be a better option for him to resign,” the committee observed.

Justice (r) Asad said he was not interested to stay as Pakistan football’s administrator. “The moment I am asked by the august court to leave the job, I will do so,” he said.The committee members observed that it was unjust to see an administrator getting paid at a time when there was no football (national or international) activity going on in the country.

It was also decided to write a letter to the Lahore High Court to help end the stalemate so that football activities could get underway.“There is a need to conclude the legal battle. The game of football has already taken heavy toll. Time has come to start thinking on the future of the game and youth attached to it,” observed the committee members.

The committee chairman said in current scenario, the ad-hoc set-up was not capable of playing any role. “The set-up is only there to have a good time at the expense of football promotion.”

Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Peerzada said that sports politics had ruined the game of football. “There is need to have a fresh election. In case we fail to find a reasonable candidate for the job of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) presidency, I would contest the election myself,” the minister said.

The committee also decided to invite Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi in the next meeting. “Time has come to dig out cricket affairs. For the purpose the PCB chairman would be invited to brief the committee in next meeting.”

It expressed surprise over the recently levying of tax on sports gears, saying it would only hurt games promotion.Senator Shibli Fraz expressed his displeasure over the government interference in all sports. “There should be no or minimum government interference in sports.”

Sindh women hockey president Khush Bakht Shujaat was concerned over Ministry of IPC’s delay in promised one million rupees grant for Sindh hockey. “The grant should be given to the Sindh women hockey association soon,” she said.