FIFA extends NC’s term yet again

KARACHI: FIFA have extended the mandate of the PFF Normalisation Committee until June 30, 2022, it has been reliably learnt. The NC mandate expired on December 31.

A few days ago, a very productive meeting between NC and federal minister Asad Umar was held in Islamabad. Asad had directed the IPC secretary to hand over the PFF headquarters in Lahore to NC. However, the ministry secretary had told him that a letter concrening this would be shared with the IPC minister Dr Fehmida Mirza who is abroad and then the handing over process would be undertaken.

Fehimda is in the US and is expected to return on January 7 and then it is likely that the headquarters, currently in control of the Punjab government, will be handed over to NC.

On March 27, 2021, the group led by Ashfaq group had re-occupied the headquarters and FIFA had suspended Pakistan in the first week of April.

In the first week of November, Punjab government sealed the headquarters on the basis of lease issues.

FIFA had written in its letter in April 2021 that unless NC regained the control of the headquarters and accounts the suspension would not be lifted.

When the government hands over the headquarters to NC, FIFA is likely to immediately lift the suspension and then it will be obligatory for NC to begin working towards the PFF elections.

In the first step, NC will have to conduct club registration and scrutiny which will be followed by elections at the district level. And then the provincial elections will be conducted before the last stage of holding the PFF elections.

NC as per constitution may take eight months to hold the PFF elections. NC and the government have already reached an agreement. NC has promised to follow the time-frame strictly.

FIFA had installed NC in September 2019. However, due to various issues the world body kept extending its mandate.

The NC chairman Haroon Malik is in Pakistan these days, waiting for the government to resolve the issue.

A state source told 'The News' that the handover process of the PFF headquarters to NC would be done after Fehmida's return.