PFF NC reconstitutes provincial Normalisation Committees

KARACHI: Not knowing what to do, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalisation Committee (NC) has reconstituted certain Provincial Normalisation Committees and formed a Normalisation Committee for the Gilgit Baltistan FA with immediate effect.

The changes have been made in the Punjab FA Normalisation Committee, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa FA Normalisation Committee and Sindh FA Normalisation Committee.

“The changes have been made to ensure consistency in the number of members in all Provincial Normalisation Committees while also seeking to address concerns regarding conflict of interest,” the NC said in a press release on Saturday. The NC claimed that it is trying to ensure that transparent elections of the PFF are held at the earliest with the expectation that it will usher in a new era in Pakistan football.

“The Punjab FA NC has been revised and reconstituted which now include Aneeq-Ur-Rehman, Rizwan Asif, Shaukat Ali Khan, Mohammed Ashraf Khan andAmir Mahmood.”

In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa FA NC, Basit Kamal, which was appointed as chairman, has been replaced with Salahuddin Qureshi.

Meanwhile in the Sindh FA NC, Najaf Hussain Iqbal has been replaced with Irshad Ali Makhdoom.

The Gilgit-Baltistan FA NC has also been unveiled which carries Imtiaz Ahmed, Nisar Ahmed and Sikandar Khan. Giving a nine-month mandate by FIFA to hold PFF elections the NC is in its seventh month since it took charge in late September and has so far even not announced club scrutiny schedule which is the most difficult phase of its mandate. There is every chance, according to sources, that the NC will seek four months extension in its mandate.

Former Punjab Football Association (PFA) President Naveed Haider has rejected the steps of the NC.

“All Committees have been constituted to favour Zahir Shah to become President PFF and bring in their own candidates for provincial and regional presidencies,” Naveed told ‘The News’ from Lahore on Saturday.

“The whole world and Pakistan is putting up a fight against the Carona pandemic these guys are playing their cynical games to pursue their personal agenda. This is no service to Pakistani football. This drama has to end soon,” said Naveed, also a former Director Marketing of PFF.

“Unfortunately I fail to understand that when FIFA/AFC and all other leading football associations have suspended all activities world-wide because of the coronavirus all of a sudden our so-called NC announces changes in the committees,” he pointed out. “Olympics have been postponed, All major international events have been cancelled but our biased NC is busy in playing musical chairs.

At this time they should be looking after the welfare of our players and field officials. Have they looked into providing any financial assistance or food or rashan for the poor players their families,” he questioned.

“Shame on them. Football family will never forgive such a selfish and cunning approach,” Naveed said. “As far as doing club scrutiny and registration by their handpicked people, it will not materialise as there will be litigations all over Pakistan. FIFA will have to rethink their strategy for PFF,” Naveed conceded.

Meanwhile sources in Faisal group said, “Non from Faisal Group. NC is making fool of the stake holders.”

“All members are from Zahir Shah, Taha Ali and Mohsin faction. Out of two. factions recognised by FIFA NC is biased. It favours Zahar Shah/Ashfaq faction only. It will ultimately destroy further football in Pakistan rather than solving the problem,” a source said.

“Affected districts, where the illegal provincial/district FAs will try to do undue favour to Zahir shah group, will be forced to get stay orders from civil courts about the results of the club scrutiny in their provinces and holding of district elections

“This will allow NC a self-created excuse of delaying elections and keeping getting huge salaries,” the source said.