Government willing to help us organise PFSL: Shahid

KARACHI: Former footballer Shahid Khan Shinwari on Saturday said that the government is committed to help him in organising the franchise-based Pakistan Football Super League (PFSL) .

“We held a meeting in Islamabad the other day and InshaAllah the government will back me fully in staging the lucrative league. All the members have been given task,” Shahid told ‘The News’.

“We will also meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and chief ministers of all provinces before organising the tournament,” he added.

Shahid is the senior vice-president of the Central Governing Committee of the Insaaf Sports and Culture Wing, whose objectives include promotion of football in the country.

Shahid said that he will try to hold the league by next year’s spring.

“Our main target will be to conduct it by spring next year,” he said.

He hoped that by then the PFF elections would be held, adding, if elections were not held then they will work with the PFF Normalisation Committee.

Shahid, a few days ago, had told this correspondent that he is going to organise a Rs 1 billion league.

He said top players will be picked for the draft and from there franchises would pick their players in auction.

Shahid said that a team will comprise of 25 members, including officials, adding that each franchise will be able to pick four foreign players.

Shahid said that it will be the first time that such a big league tournament will be held in the country.

“This will bring a revolution in Pakistan football,” said Shahid, also a former president of FATA Olympic Association.

He last year in March had announced Rs 300 million league but was not allowed by the Ashfaq-led PFF to go for it.