FIFA-AFC mission to arrive on May 28

KARACHI: The new dates of the visit of the joint mission of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to Pakistan have been confirmed.

The vice-president of the newly-elected Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Naveed Haider said on Monday that the mission would come to Lahore on May 28 to hold discussion with all parties.

FIFA had postponed the visit until late May on the request of the PFF president and secretary. The visit had been scheduled for April 24-25.

In a response to the letter written by Naveed to FIFA Secretary General, Senior MA Governance Services Manager Secretary General Division Alexandre Gros replied: "Regarding the upcoming FIFA-AFC visit kindly note that it will take place on May 28-29, 2019, in Lahore and visas for delegation have already been arranged.

"When we have further information about the agenda we will be sure to inform you," the email said. Earlier this month FIFA Member Associations Committee decided at its meeting in Zurich that a joint mission of FIFA and the AFC will visit Pakistan to assess the situation and make concrete proposals for the way forward.

FIFA recognises Faisal Saleh Hayat as the PFF president. However, under Supreme Court-ordered elections a new body has been formed which is headed by Ashfaq Hussain Shah.

Supreme Court has already disposed of the matter and now the ball is in the court of FIFA. Because of the conflict football has suffered a lot during last four years. Currently Pakistan faces self-imposed international football isolation because no federation can send the national team abroad.