Faisal gets majority’s backing for PFF elections [The Nation]

LAHORE – Disconnecting themselves from Sardar Naveed Haider Khan, majority of football fraternity from Punjab have announced their support for current PFF president Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat in the upcoming PFF elections.

The support was announced during a press conference held here and was attended by congress members of PFA as well as representatives from football associations of Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Gujrat, Chiniot, Khanewal, Khushab, Narowal, Pakpattan and Football Referee Association (FRA) President Mian Bari.

PFA congress members from Bahawalpur Col (R) Ijaz and Iqbal Shaikh said that PFF President Faisal Saleh Hayat has taken Pakistan football to new heights and his services for the development of the game are commendable. “Had the previous government not interfered into the PFF matters four years back, Pakistan football would have been a different level altogether.”

They added that during the past six months, PFF, under the leadership of Faisal, has held unprecedented number of football activities which itself is a major feat to revive the game after years of no activity due to third-party interference.

Iftikhar Shah from Sargodha and Irfan from Khushab FA said: “We, the members of Punjab Football Association, cannot stand with Naveed Haider Khan as he has betrayed us all. We have witnessed how Faisal Saleh Hayat has fought for the just cause for four long years. Naveed should not forget that it was Faisal who supported him to become president of Punjab FA.”

Ch Rashid from Pakpattan, Khalid Thain from Chiniot, Ch Munir from Gujrat and Khalid Shaikh from Narowal also held Naveed Haider responsible for taking steps to put Pakistan football into darkness once again.

Pakistan Referee Association President Mian Bari said that Naveed Haider is once again pushing Pakistan towards FIFA suspension.

Published in The Nation, 28 November 2018