SPORTS REPORT
PESHAWAR (March 28, 2021):-The FIFA suspension looms over Pakistan after Engineer Ashfaq-led group attacked on Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Headquarters in Lahore, said former Vice President of the PFF Syed Zahir Ali Shah at a press conference here at Press Club on Sunday.
Condemning the act, Syed Zahir Ali Shah, who is also part of the Ashfaq-led group as Senior Vice President, said that due to the attack the efforts of bringing football activities in real shape, received a denting response after the forcefully vacating the PFF House from the recently established FIFA Normalization Committee (NC) members led by Canadian based Malik Haroon as chairman.
The football activities and its hope to bring back in real shape again after the assurance given to him by the new AFC-FIFA nominated Chairman Malik Haroon during a recent meeting, vanished once again due to condemnable act of Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah led-group.
Despite being part with the group which came through a Supreme Court decision through election in a premises of the Supreme Court in Islamabad and a judge nominated as Presiding Officer to conduct election, the forcefully vacated PFF Headquarters is not a justified act any way because FIFA did not recognized that election, Syed Zahir Ali Shah, added.
“We as football lover request to the Prime Minister Imran Khan to intervene and rescue football in Pakistan because millions of sportspersons associated with this much loved Games of football,” he remarked.
He disclosed that Ashfaq Hussain Shah had vacated the PFF headquarters in Lahore 19 months ago and Malik Haroon said that he had a road map for the election in April this year so what such step was taken in the wrong direction, he questioned.
He said, Engr. Ashfaq-led group, which had vacated the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) headquarters in Lahore 19 months ago, regained its control on Saturday, last, and the head of FIFA Normalization Committee Malik Haroon in his press statement has already said to break the glasses to escape the building.
He said, Haroon accepted that such act was on force and the whole matter has come to the notice of FIFA so now certainly a suspension looming over Pakistan from FIFA, which he did not want even being part of Ashfaq Hussain Shah group earlier on.
“I will follow AFC and FIFA decision and would not go by otherwise,” Syed Zahir Ali Shah added while answering a question.
When asked why being part of the election, he said: “We follow the Supreme Court decision at that time and conducted the election under a nominated judge as President Officer for election. He said the previously announced NC failed to conduct the election during its time which further deteriorated condition for running football affairs in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, in a media talks, Ashfaq, former president of Pakistan Football Federation, said that they had taken charge after the resolution which was passed in the Congress meeting in Islamabad. “The FIFA Normalization Committee has failed in its task,” he said.
He said that the committee, which has not been able to hold a federation election in 19 months, cannot be allowed to lower the standard of football in Pakistan. “Now we have come to improve football. The committee members were not doing anything despite being paid millions of rupees. For a long time, nothing has been done to improve football.
“We had given charge to Hamza Khan in the presence of the media. Haroon Khan's teammates have broken the windows of FIFA House. We have approached the police against them. We will also inform FIFA of the situation in writing. We will serve football and football will be revolutionized,” he added.
Ashfaq said they will make sure that the elections are held on time. “We demand that strict action be taken against Malik Haroon & Company.”
Following this humiliating episode, the 2021 National Women's Football Championship, which had been underway in Karachi, was also cancelled.
“The PFF office was attacked in Lahore by Ashfaq Shah and his group,” the PFF NC alleged in a statement. “Sardar Naveed Haider Khan was also present with the attackers. The PFF staff physically harassed and were held hostage. The group has taken over the PFF house,” he concluded.
