Political interference ruining Pakistan football: Faisal [Nation]

Political interference ruining Pakistan football: Faisal [Nation]

LAHORE – Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) president Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat has said that the matter of the federation has reached at a very crucial stage after the Fifa’s decision which endorsed him as PFF chief and urged the government to stop political interference in the federation’s matters.

Earlier, Fifa executive committee met at Fifa Head Quarters, Zurich, where they took very important steps conveyed to PFF through a letter written by the acting secretary Fifa Markus Kattner addressing the PFF secretary Lt Col Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi, disclosing the important decisions taken by the Fifa executive committee and gave two more years to Faisal Saleh Hayat as president of Pakistan Football Federation. “The Fifa Executive Committee decided that the current PFF leadership-led by Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat would be given two years to revise the PFF statutes and organise elections accordingly,” the letter says.

At the same time it has rejected the appointment of an administrator to run the PFF affairs in very strong words “the appointment of an administrator for PFF by the High Court is contrary to Article 13.1 and 17 of Fifa Statutes that requests the Member Associations to manage their affairs independently and without influence from any third parties. The violations of such obligations might lead to sanctions including the suspension of PFF,” Markus said in the letter.

Showing serious concerns over the total stoppage of football activities in the country, Faisal said: “It is very painful to see the football activities halted due to personal motives of some illegal and unconstitutional people who certainly are not good wishers of the game. We did all the hard work to lay down strong foundations for a long term sustainable football development in Pakistan and we will not let anybody to just destroy the football of Pakistan.”

He added that now when Fifa EXCO decisions had very clearly endorsed their constitutional stand and point of view firmly and principally rejecting any interference in the affairs of PFF by the third party, everybody linked with the matter should better understand the delicacy of the situation.

“It will be disastrous if hurdles are created in the way of the PFF constitutional body to take back its control over Fifa/PFF Football House and run football activities normally according to its mandate as required by Fifa otherwise Pakistan will have to face sanctions which will be detrimental for Pakistan’s football,” Faisal said.

“We are keenly waiting to resume football activities with full energy and pace after getting back the control of PFF Headquarters, Lahore,” said PFF secretary Lt Col (R) Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi.