Faisal-led body gets PFF control back

KARACHI: As per the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) ruling the administrator Justice (retd) Asad Munir handed over the control of the PFF headquarters in Lahore to Faisal Saleh Hayat-led PFF on Thursday.

Finally the PFF’s “legitimate” body returned to its headquarters, PFF said in a press release.After taking control of the PFF secretariat, the officials also held a press conference.

The PFF said that on the advice of the PFF’s chief Faisal, the charge of PFF was taken by senior-vice president Khadim Ali Shah, vice-president Naveed Haider and general secretary Col (retd) Ahmed Yar Lodhi.

Faisal thanked his associates and football lovers of Pakistan for their support to the “elected PFF’s restoration”, the release said. “We will soon announce the detailed plan for the development of football in Pakistan after bringing the secretariat into functional state,” Faisal said. “I thank FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) president Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa for their continuous support to the principled stand of PFF and the football family of Pakistan,” added Faisal, who is a member of the AFC executive committee.

He also congratulated footballers, referees, coaches and members of District Football Associations (DFAs).A PFF spokesman said that PFF president had ordered an internal audit of the federation. “We will maintain the inventory to estimate the damage done to the PFF headquarters in the last three years,” Faisal said. “We will make our utmost efforts to take Pakistan football to new heights not only in the region but at the Asian level” Faisal added.

Khadim said that the football family had gone through a very difficult three years.“Thanks God it’s over now,” said Khadim, who is also the head of Sindh Football Association (SFA).

“We are hopeful FIFA will lift suspension very soon,” Khadim said. FIFA suspended PFF in October last year because of third party interference.

FIFA said that the suspension would be lifted only after the PFF control was given to the legitimate body.Naveed commented that PFF would leave no stone unturned for the revival of football activities in Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that a rival group has already filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the LHC’s division bench order. According to sources, notices have already been issued but no date for hearing has been set.

Thursday’s development may open the doors for lifting of the suspension. Due to the tussle no Pakistani team has featured in any international event since April 2015. The country also missed three seasons of its premier league which left the players financially shattered.