November 19 – The leaders of the Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) normalisation committee have been in Kuala Lumpur meeting with AFC general secretary Dato’ Windsor John as they begin the process of preparing the federation of elections and setting a foundation of a sustainable national governing body.
Chairperson of the Normalisation Committee Humza Khan (centre picture) and Acting General Secretary Colonel Mujahid Ullah Khan (pictured right) have until June 2020 to organise the vote and met with John (pictured left) to discuss the progress of the Normalisation Committee.
“We expect this NC to focus mainly on two tasks, holding the elections at all levels and running the day-to-day football affairs by ensuring Pakistan’s participation in international and regional competitions,” said John.
“Pakistan is one of the founding members of the AFC and we expect Pakistan football to get its normalcy back. This committee must ensure that the football activities and the electoral process go on simultaneously in Pakistan.”
Pakistan has been plagued with allegations of rigged elections and government interference in the federation’s and was even thrown out of its headquarters. The result has been limited league structures and no national teams.
Humza reiterated that the normalisation committee is determined to hold “free and fair” elections by the June 15 deadline “It’s a massive responsibility,” Humza, told local media when appointed in September. “Being a footballer, and having played for Karachi United at a very high level, at times there was disillusionment because football wasn’t flourishing in the country.”
FIFA recognises PFF president Faisal Saleh Hayat and general secretary retired Col Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi as the legitimate leadership of the federation, but they are not recognised in Pakistan, where the PFF is led by Ashfaq Hussain Shah. The latter was elected in December 2018 after Pakistan’s supreme court had stepped in and ordered fresh elections.
Recently, Hayat withdrew several national teams from competition including withdrawal from the qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games played within the AFC U-23 Championship. Pakistan also fell at the first hurdle in Asian World Cup qualifying, losing 4-1 on aggregate to Cambodia.
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