LAHORE - The 46 nations affiliated with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) should put more effort into the grassroots development of women's football so that Asian countries can enjoy success at the world level, said AFC Women's Department Director Belinda Wilson. She said Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has made great strides in women's football under Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat and PFF (Women Wing) Chairperson Robina Irfan. The PFF decision to hire a full-time administrator dedicated to the women's game has helped open up competition and education doors for female footballers and officials in the country. "Many countries are taking benefits of the AID27 programme for women. Jordan earned passage into the AFC U19 Women's Championship Qualifiers' while Pakistan's first senior women's league competition has been established, featuring 17 teams. In addition, five female coaches appeared in IOC Olympic Solidarity Technical Course last month. None of these achievements would have been possible without the AID27 programme delivered by AFC's Women's Department," added Belinda. All it took was for the JFA and PFF to each hire one full-time staff to give women's football a mighty kick-start in their countries. The women's AID27 programme, which runs on the same lines as the Vision Asia initiative of the same name, provides subsidies for selected member associations to hire specialist staff. The AFC Women's Department Director Belinda Wilson said: "By having one full-time staff working on women's football, it has enabled associations to establish leagues and development programmes for women in their respective countries." Robina added: "We have worked hard for three years to build up women's football and the remarks and appreciation from Belinda Wilson means very much to us and will inspire us to do even better." Also Balochistan Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Robina said : "PFF, under dynamic leadership of PFF Chief, has been highly active in boosting women's football over the past three years. FIFA and AFC has assured all kind of support and one day we will be able to get title of AFC Association of the Year, an award given to country in recognition of its exceptional contribution to the development and promotion of the game within their country particularly in the areas of (but not limited to): grassroots and youth development, clubs and national league development, participation in continental and world-wide competitions, Professionalisation of its administration and governance. This year, PFF Women Wing hosted First National Women Club Championship at Lahore that ended in victory for Lahore's WP club, followed by Rawalpindi's Young Rising Star triumph in 4th National Women Championship at Islamabad.