Lahore, 26 September : The Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on Sports (Culture, Tourism, Sports and Youth Affairs) in its ten-page findings has showed satisfaction over the football promotional work carried out by Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) under dynamic leadership of Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, and also called for the appointment of new Presidents of Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) and Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) in order to earn the lost glory in sports the country dominated in the past. The 5-man sub-committee, headed by Senator M. Enver Baig, heard the federation’s officials in three meetings inside 39 days and has forwarded their recommendations to the main committee.
Other members were members Senator Tariq Azim Khan, Senator Mrs. Razina Alam Khan, federal sports minister Najamuddin Khan (ex-officio member) and secretary committee Muhammad Sher Khan Baloch. Senator Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi was also included in the composition of the sub-committee later on. The Standing Committee on Sports on 30 June 2008 reviewed the performance of the sports federations in the promotion of games and decided to constitute a sub-committee to make recommendations in collaboration with the Ministry to improve the standard of sports in the country. The sub-committee held three meetings on 28 July, 1 September and 4 September 2008 at Islamabad’s Parliament House. The Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal-led Standing Committee will forward the report to the Prime Minister and federal cabinet for its implementation. PFF was represented by General Secretary Lt. Col (R) Ahmed Khan Yar Lodhi during 1 September meet and he provided handsome record, along with milestone/landmarks earned under Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat reign from 2003 to 2008 and the sub-committee showed full satisfaction on PFF’s stylish progress for the uplift of the game.
It is pertinent to mention that the before the current PFF officials took over, the scenario was that of despair and despondency. Due to polarization and in-house strife, the administrative set up was buried under the ruins of heavy financial liability, grass root and domestic soccer structure was almost non-existent, infrastructure badly destroyed. Faisal Saleh Hayat-led management had a stupendous task ahead. Picking up bits and pieces, measures were taken on war-footing. After a careful in-depth study the priorities were fixed to rectify the wrongs.
Faisal’s five-years tenure is known as “Golden Years of Pakistan Football” and it has created a healthy atmosphere for the promotion and uplift of football in Pakistan as the game is reaching in far-flung areas speedily. He gave firm program regarding talent hunt schemes due to which Pakistan was able to create new record in SAG football with four golds, and snatched sensational wins over Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Guam, Afghanistan, and even forced Asian Champion Iraq 0-0 draw on neutral territory.*