Football referees extraordinary congress

Asif removed through no-confidence motion

By our correspondent

KARACHI: Before the elections of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) an interesting development occurred on Wednesday in the referees’ fraternity when they deposed their president Qazi Mohammad Asif through a no-confidence motion.

In the extraordinary congress meeting of Pakistan Football Referees Association (PFRA) held here, seven members out of nine voted against Asif. Mian Abdul Bari was elected as the new PFRA chief, a press release of the association said.

Iqbal Junior (President Sindh Football Referees Association), Saeed Khan (Secretary Sindh), Shafiq Khan (President Balochistan), Nazir Hussain (Secretary Balochistan), Muhammad Sharif (Secretary Islamabad), Mian Abdul Bari (President Punjab) and Chaudhry Abdul Rasheed (Secretary Punjab) voted against Asif, who is a former FIFA referee.

Asif said he had no grudges against the referees who voted against him. “The seven referees who voted against me are not at fault. They were compelled to do that. You know it is due to politics that this has happened,” Asif told ‘The News’ from Peshawar. “The PFF wanted a vote and it assembled these referees to move a no confidence motion against me,” he added.

“I remained unopposed chairman of the PFRA for 24 years. It is a record. And I am happy that there is no corruption charge against me. I have no regret and congratulate Mian Bari for replacing me. I hope he and his team will deliver their services for referees’ betterment,” Asif said. He said as per the rules he would cast vote on behalf of the PFRA in the PFF elections as he is part of the electoral list under which elections are going to be held.