PFF elections Provincial associations’ heads called for meeting

KARACHI: The returning officer appointed by the Supreme Court for holding the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) elections has convened a meeting of the presidents of the provincial associations in Islamabad on Saturday (tomorrow).

According to a source, the returning officer Shoaib Shaheen will discuss electoral matters with the provincial bodies’ presidents. The apex court on November 14 announced that the PFF elections would be held within one month.

The other day the returning officer had asked the four provinces to send their nominations for the PFF Congress by November 30. The RO said that after receiving the nominations the date, time and venue for the PFF elections would be revealed.

Sources said that Shoaib is working on resolving the issue of Islamabad Football Association (IFA) and Pakistan Football Referees Association (PFRA).

The decision regarding IFA, which faces parallel bodies issue, has been reserved. Shoaib is also trying to resolve the issue of the PFRA which was hit by a dispute when its former chairman Qazi Asif was removed through a no- confidence motion. He was replaced by Mian Bari.

Punjab Football Association (PFA) President Sardar Naveed Haider has announced that he would support PTI MNA Malik Amir Dogar in the PFF elections. “Yes, Dogar is a PFA council member from Multan. I have decided to back him in the elections,” Naveed told ‘The News’.

He said that he was in contact with all the stakeholders, seeking their support in the elections.“I am in touch with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Football Association, departments and all other stakeholders and hopefully you will see a change in the next elections,” said Naveed, a former ally of PFF chief Faisal Saleh Hayat.

Naveed plans to bring in Syed Zahir Shah, the KP Football Association president, to negotiating table to deliberate on the pre-election scenario. “We will definitely sit together and discuss the issues thoroughly. We will also weigh the option of fielding a joint candidate in the PFF elections against Faisal,” Naveed said.