Elections for Fifa-appointed PFF to take place this year

KARACHI: Shahid Niaz Khokhar, a senior member of the Fifa-appointed Pakistan Football Federation Normalisation Committee (PFF NC), on Saturday said that he is confident that NC will be able to complete the statutory election process of the PFF this year with the cooperation of stakeholders.

“We are hopeful that things will go smoothly and stakeholders cooperate with NC and elections of the PFF will happen this year,” Shahid told The News in an interview.

“After the scrutiny of the clubs is completed and the districts elections are held, the rest of the election process at the provincial and PFF level constitutionally takes around four and a half months.

“The physical scrutiny is essential, and we will try our level best to complete it in the minimum possible time.

“From May 15, we intend to start the district elections process by initiating the clubs' physical scrutiny."

Shahid stressed that before going for clubs' scrutiny, every effort would be made to first ensure all registered clubs meet the constitutional requirements.

“At the moment more than 5000 clubs have registered via Pakistan Football Connect (PFC), out of which only a few clubs meet the complete constitutional requirements of a club,” he said.

He further added that they are working day and night to help the clubs to fulfil all the requirements which are demanded by the PFF Statutes.

“We cannot violate the PFF Constitution which is very clear on the requirements for being a legitimate club” he said

“We also are in contact with a national level bank and are working on the MoU and hopefully soon it will be signed. The clubs will then be able to open their accounts in various branches of the same bank across the country. We have already shared with the clubs a model constitution a few weeks ago which they are using to fulfil one important statutory requirement.

“There is no other opinion that the solution to the long-standing problems of Pakistan football lies in the holding of fair and transparent elections but instead of solving the problems the hastily conducted elections may create more complications."

Appreciating the constructive and considerate approach of the international football community, Shahid said that the complex situation of football in Pakistan required such wisdom and patience which is demonstrated throughout by the global football family.

“Fifa and AFC have shown restraint in Pakistan's case, which is helping Pakistan's football to move forward and get out of the deep quagmire,” Shahid said.

Shahid said that on March 20, NC held a meeting with the stakeholders' legal representatives in Lahore in which such matters were also discussed which have delayed the election process.