We’ll get NOC from PFF before conducting PSFL: Shinwari [The Nation]

We’ll get NOC from PFF before conducting PSFL: Shinwari [The Nation]

by Mohsin Ali

ISLAMABAD – Fata Olympic Association President Shahid Shinwari has said that he will surely get an NOC from the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) to conduct the Pakistan Super Football League (PSFL) without any issue.

Shahid Shinwari said this while addressing the press conference at Pakistan Sports Complex on Monday. Earlier, PFF President Syed Ashfaq Hussian has made it clear that the federation has nothing to do with Pakistan Super Football League, as Shahid Shinwari has not made any contact with the federation to seek NOC, so any player, who will take part in the league will face the music.

On this, Shahid said: “I have met with PFF secretary and will meet PFF President in a day or two. We have cleared all the dues of the Fata League and also Tabdeeli Football Cup Tournament. We will write a letter to the PFF for NOC and ready to sit with them to address all their concerns.”

He announced to conduct league in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar in October this year, in which two international players will be allowed to represent each franchise. “Five teams will be in action in the country’s first-ever international league. The franchises will be Karachi, Quetta, Lahore, Peshawar and one combined team of Fata, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK. It is a mega event and I want every Pakistani to support me for this noble cause.”

He said they have platinum, gold and silver categories for the league. “We will visit each and every part of the country to find emerging players form far-flung areas. We will take PFF onboard and share all our players and write them to issue NOC to us. Without government support, this event can’t take place, so we will also take government into confidence.

“The first match for awareness will be held on March 28 at PSB at Jinnah Stadium. For the exhibition match, in which Chairman Senate will be the chief guest and IPC members will also be present, we will invite all the veterans and legends of Pakistan football while Fata and Wah teams will be in action in exhibition match,” he added.

Shahid said before Ramazan, they will hold more exhibition matches. “We will take franchises to all corners of the country and try to take all onboard for the future of youth of the country. I will do this task with my personal efforts and ensure Pakistan Super Football League will go ahead.”

When asked after merger with KP, is he still Fata Olympic Association President, Shahid replied: “Yes, we have our own identity, like Fata Cricket Region. We got merger with KP for the sake of youth of our area. I have met with PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani and informed him about the significance of keeping Fata as an independent region. We have done a lot of work and we want to construct sports grounds, as tribal belt is blessed with all kinds of talent.”

He said, “In 2017, I conducted Fata Super League, in which players from Malaysia, Afghanistan and three other countries took part. Our national heroes like Kaleem Ullah and others also played that league, which was held in Peshawar. We had fixed Rs 100,000 as entry fee for which 10 clubs got registered.

We got only Rs 600,000 as entry fee, while six clubs failed to deposit the amount. It was around Rs 5 million spent on that league, we gave Rs 500,000 cash to the winners, Rs 350,000 to the runners-up and also handed handsome cash prizes to the best player and others.

We didn’t owe a single penny. I managed to collect the remaining amount through my own sources,” he said and added that this year, he wants to hold first-ever football league, just like Pakistan Super League.

Published in The Nation, 26 March 2019