‘Task Force’s recommendation could steer Pak football out of crisis’

AFC Congress in Manama

KARACHI: A source in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress said that the recommendation made by the Member Association Task Force to the continental body’s executive committee regarding Pakistan’s matter was a healthy step which would help in resolving the matters of Pakistan football.

“I think it is a healthy step and it will definitely help in resolving the long-standing dispute of Pakistan’s football,” the source told this correspondent from Bahrain where he attended the AFC Congress on Monday in Manama.

The AFC Executive Committee on Sunday agreed to the Member Association Task Force recommendation that a request should be made to FIFA to extend the current mandate of the PFF to June 2019 so that meaningful reforms can be undertaken and that FIFA and the AFC hold a joint revision workshop for PFF stakeholders.

The Executive Committee also agreed that a high-level delegation should meet the Pakistani Government and apprise them of the severe consequences of external interference and the Executive Committee reiterated its position of opposition to government interference in the running of the sport.

The source said that the AFC would send the letter to FIFA soon which would be dealt by the Member Association and then the matter would be put up before FIFA council.

The source said that it was natural that nothing could be done regarding FIFA’s advice when it gave two years to Faisal Saleh Hayat Group in summer 2015 regarding the revision of the constitution and holding of fresh elections.

The source said that accounts were also frozen and there was no record with the PFF so it was not possible to act as per the advice of FIFA.

The Member Association Task Force had discussed Pakistan’s issue on April 25 in Lebanon and it had decided that the recommendation would be put up before the AFC ExCo, the source said.

The source further added that the new office-bearers of the PFF were elected for four years and FIFA gave only two years to its recognised PFF.

The task force, the source said, also had a representative of FIFA and so the international football’s  governing body would definitely take it quite seriously and would take a step towards resolving Pakistan’s issue.