Govt-backed group discusses PFF elections strategy today [The News]

KARACHI: Some influential persons of the government-backed group will put their heads together in Lahore on Friday (today) to chalk out a plan about the elections of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) to be held on June 30.

“We will weigh different options in the meeting tomorrow — whether we should opt for a legal battle or go for a poll,” an influential source in the government-backed party told ‘The News’ on Thursday.

“Punjab Football Association’s (PFA) elections had not been conducted but still the PFF announced that Sardar Naved Haider was elected as its president. The secretary of the electoral committee Col Farasat had told us in writing that the PFA elections had been postponed. Moreover, the election rules framed for PFF elections were also illegal, having not been approved by Congress. The PFF has two constitution: one is approved and the other has been rejected by FIFA,” the source said.

Under the rules framed for the election of PFF president, Captain Safdar, son-in-law of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, will not be able to run for the top post of the country’s strongest federation. Keeping this under consideration, the government-backed party is thinking of bringing a covering candidate.

“If we go for polls, we will definitely also bring our covering candidate. We are busy in negotiation with our group and will give you a surprise soon,” the source said.

Another source said what type of rules had been followed by PFF in the PFA elections on April 17. “The PFF declared Naveed winner although he got only 14 votes while 22 members were against him. We will beat Faisal Saleh Hayat in the PFF elections,” the source said.

The election rules for the PFF president’s post say that a candidate shall have played an active role as member PFF Congress, member PFF executive committee, PFF electoral office, AFC, FIFA for at least two of the preceding five years before being proposed as a candidate as per PFF record.

Only PFF Congress members may propose a candidate for the office of president PFF. A candidate for the office of president has to be proposed and seconded by two PFF congress members at least two months before the date of the congress.

Keeping in view such rules, the opposition is likely to also submit nomination papers for the former PFA president and former PFF secretary Arshad Khan Lodhi.

Meanwhile, PFF officially announced the schedule of the election for the PFF president, three vice-presidents, 11 Executive Committee members and three women representatives.

Nomination forms will be issued and submitted to the General Secretary PFF from April 24 to April 28, 2015.

The scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted on May 2 by the PFF general secretary.

The result of scrutiny will be disclosed on May 3. On May 5, appeals will be filed before the appeal committee. On May 6, appeals will be decided.

Faisal will be trying to retain his post for the fourth successive four-year tenure.

According to national sports policy, which has been adopted by all the other federations, president, secretary and treasurer of any federation are not eligible to keep their post for more than two four-year terms.

But the PFF says that it is bound to follow FIFA rules which don’t carry any such clause.