‘PSB still waiting for PFF election roadmap from NC’

KARACHI: A senior official of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on Sunday said that they are waiting for the complete election roadmap from the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee and on securing the document further steps would be taken towards the resolution of the football issue.

“Definitely we are playing the role of a mediator in the whole process. The NC has shared with us election details but we want complete information about the PFF elections, its transparency and other relevant matters from the NC in black and white,” the official told ‘The News’ on Sunday.

“Once we receive that then effort would be made to further pave the way for the electoral process and matter regarding vacation of the PFF headquarters,” the official told ‘The News’ on Sunday.

“Football suffered a lot and there should be a resolution of the dispute now. We don’t want to interfere and act as mediator as we know our players are suffering because of the issue,” the official said.

Meanwhile NC’s senior member Shahid Khokhar said that they have already provided the election roadmap to the government and if it wants further details NC would help further.

“The NC has provided every necessary and required detail which can help the state authorities to understand the PFF election process in the light of the federation’s Statutes,” Khokhar told ‘The News’.

“It will not only help the government to remove the obstacles in the way of the PFF elections but also assist in moving this process forward in the best possible way,” Khokhar said. “However to end the long-standing football crisis, if more details are needed the relevant authorities should contact the NC’s chairman Haroon Malik in writing,” Khokhar added.

A few days ago a three-member NC’s delegation held a detailed meeting with the president of Pakistan Arif Alvi in Islamabad in which a detailed discussion was held on the various matters of football.

The NC completely briefed Alvi about its elections plans and the president was also satisfied with the way NC will conduct the PFF elections as per the federation’s Constitution.

The big issue is that the Ashfaq-led PFF seized control of the PFF headquarters in Lahore in March this year. Pakistan is already serving FIFA’s suspension because of this take-over. And FIFA have categorically stated that unless NC gets access to the PFF headquarters and accounts suspension will not be lifted.

President Alvi has already advised the IPC Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza to help pave the way for the resolution of the dispute which has been badly affecting the most sought-after sport in the country.

The NC, whose extended tenure will expire on September 30 and may be extended further if situation gets normal, will have to conduct clubs registration, scrutiny, elections at the district, provincial and PFF levels. It will conduct elections of the referees association also at various levels and also women wing elections. At least 100 elections will be conducted as there are 88 districts in which elections will be held besides holding elections at the provincial and other levels before conducting the PFF elections eventually. In the light of the PFF Constitution the electoral process will take upto nine months. The elections can only be held under the PFF Constitution of 2014. As per rules no one can change the PFF Statutes. It’s the basic right of the PFF Congress to do so. Even FIFA cannot change the PFF Statutes.

Meanwhile in some provinces especially in Balochistan more effort is being made especially by Saeed Tikko to bring together all the stakeholders at the same platform to back the NC’s effort of going for elections which is the only to bring Pakistan’s football back to normalcy.

It has been reliably learnt that FATA will not be able to take part in elections. In the previous PFF set up under Faisal Saleh Hayat FATA had the playing rights and it would be the next elected PFF Congress which would decide its future status. FATA has now merged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.