The Bureau of the FIFA Council has suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) with immediate effect due to third-party interference, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.
According to a press release by FIFA, this situation was prompted by the recent hostile takeover of the PFF headquarters in Lahore by a group of protestors and an alleged decision by certain individuals to remove the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee of the PFF led by Haroon Malik and to hand over the leadership of the PFF to Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah.
FIFA issued a letter warning that, should the illegitimate occupation of the PFF headquarters not be lifted and the office bearers recognised by FIFA not be permitted free access to the building to carry out their mandate, the matter would be immediately submitted to the Bureau of the Council for decision.
A statement by the governing body confirmed that Bureau of the FIFA Council suspended the PFF with immediate effect due to third-party interference, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.
“This situation was prompted by the recent hostile takeover of the PFF headquarters in Lahore by a group of protestors and an alleged decision by certain individuals to remove the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee of the PFF led by Haroon Malik and to hand over the leadership of the PFF to Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah,” it said.
The group led by Ashfaq Shah stormed into PFF headquarters last month, forcing Haroon Malik and the NC to vacate the office and its control.
FIFA had termed the takeover ‘illegal’ and issued an ultimatum that NC should be handed over the PFF control by March 31 otherwise Pakistan could face a suspension.
The Ashfaq group had ignored the deadline and announced to continue its hold over PFF headquarters.
As the situation remains unchanged, the Bureau of the Council has decided to suspend the PFF.
This suspension will only be lifted once FIFA has received confirmation from the normalisation committee of the PFF that the PFF’s premises, accounts, administration and communication channels are again under its full control and it can continue to carry out its mandate without further hindrance.
Earlier, the Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab, Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti had addressed the issue and promised to play a pivotal role in resolving the issue with a “positive solution” but nothing has happened yet.
Hajra Khan, who is voice raiser for the future of Pakistan Football and footballers, took to social media and wrote: “Embarrassed and ashamed.”
Earlier, National Women’s Football Championship 2021 was cancelled after three of the semi-finalist teams had boycotted the tournament in protest.
