Pakistan women, men's football teams' to receive equal pay

• PFF’s normalisation committee head confirms women footballers in Pakistan will be paid as much as men’s team.
• Both teams will get allowance of $150 on international match days and $75 on non-match days.
• Players will also be paid up to Rs400,000 for attending national camps.

KARACHI: Pakistan has joined a unique group in the international football community that will provide equal wages to its women's and men's football teams.

Haroon Malik, the head of PFF’s normalisation committee, confirmed to Geo News that women footballers in Pakistan will be paid as much as the men’s team.

He confirmed that both — men’s and women’s team members — will get an allowance of $150 on international match days and $75 on non-match days.

In addition, players will also be paid up to Rs400,000 for attending national camps.

“All initial participants, likely around 35, will get Rs100,000 and those who are shortlisted participants will be paid an additional Rs300,000 for the month-long camp which will make it Rs400,000 for most of the participants,” he said.

Haroon said that it is very important that players who represent Pakistan deserve to be paid well, regardless of their gender.

“When you represent your country then there’s no reason not to pay equally regardless of gender. There should be no difference,” said PFF's normalisation committee head.

Haroon added that women's sports should be encouraged, adding that athletes deserve to be well looked after as they sacrifice their life and everything for their country and they deserve to be respected and compensated appropriately.

He confirmed that players in the ongoing national women's camp are being paid the same amount and they’ll earn according to the new policy during next month’s South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship.

He also confirmed that the Pakistan men's football team’s activity will start by end of August.