LAHORE - Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat has said that the federation always held its elections under the FIFA statutes in a fair and transparent way but the third party intrusion can ruin the entire election process.
“FIFA does not allow any interference of the third party in any of its associate members’ affairs especially in elections. The football’s world ruling body always has taken strict action against those associate members where any third party or government intervened in the association’s affairs and Nigeria, Indonesia and Kuwait had been handed ban in this regard,” said Faisal while speaking at the press briefing held here at the PFF Secretariat. PFF secretary Col (R) Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi, Director Development Pervaiz Saeed Mir and Col (R) Farasat Ali Shah were also present there.
He added: “It is only the prerogative of the election commissioner to talk in detail about the PFF election as our prime objective of today’s media briefing remains highlighting the worst act which was done by provincial presidential candidate Ali Haider Noor Niazi being fully supported by FIFA life banned person Sulman Butt who claims to develop and promote football but on the other hand, he invaded the PFF secretariat two days ago with more than hundred armed men. I ask them is this the way they plan to promote the global game of football in Pakistan? In fact, they have destroyed the norms of this beautiful game.” Faisal thanked media people as when they reached the spot, otherwise, God forbidden, anything worst could happen.
Revealing some facts about former PFF secretary Salman Butt who was life-banned by FIFA, he said: “The football governing body banned Salman Butt for life due to his huge embezzlements during his tenure as PFF secretary as the FIFA committee found him guilty after thorough investigation and banned him for life. How can a person level allegations against others who himself has been proved fraudulent by the FIFA.”
Faisal said during his entire tenure as PFF president, he took all the decisions purely on merit to improve and flourish the game across the country and never misused his powers or money. “If a single penny corruption is proved against me, I will resign as PFF president.”
PFF secretary Col Ahmed Yar Lodhi told the media about his personal experience when he was immensely pressurized by the Sports Board Punjab (SBP) Director General Usman Anwar, who during a meeting at his office, revealed that it had been decided by the government to bring Capt Safdar as the next PFF president and Ali Noor Niazi as PFA president. The current set up of the federation must cooperate with them to help government’s dream come true.
“I just told the DG that I cannot violate FIFA and PFF statutes and if they want their candidates get elected, they have to follow the FIFA and PFF rules.”