Sports Bulletin Report
Colombo (Sri Lanka): The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) delegation participated in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Extraordinary Congress 2025, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
A two-member PFF delegation, led by President Saud Azim Hashimi and Acting General Secretary Mohammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar, actively represented Pakistan in the high-level gathering. The event was presided over by Kazi Salahuddin, President of SAFF. Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), attended the event as a special guest.
During the congress, Purushottam Kattel, a former AFC official, was appointed as the new General Secretary of SAFF, marking a significant administrative development for the South Asian football.
One of the key highlights of the event was a dedicated meeting between the PFF leadership and AFC President Shaikh Salman, accompanied by Vahid Kardany, Deputy General Secretary of the AFC, who played a crucial role in the recent PFF Congress settlement, ensuring alignment of the PFF Statutes with AFC and FIFA.
During the discussion, the focus remained on the ongoing normalization process in Pakistan football and the upcoming PFF elections, both considered crucial milestones in revitalizing the country’s footballing landscape. PFF President and NC Chairman Saud Azim Hashimi briefed the AFC President on the progress of the PFF elections and outlined the steps ahead in the electoral process.
Expressing optimism, Shaikh Salman shared his hopeful expectations for a new era of leadership to emerge from the upcoming PFF elections. He emphasised that strong, stable leadership is essential for the sport’s growth in Pakistan and pledged all-out AFC support to assist the country in its journey toward football development and excellence.
The PFF delegation also held productive sideline discussions with leaders of other SAFF member nations, where they explored avenues for regional collaboration, joint ventures, and strategies to advance shared goals in South Asian football.
