LAHORE - Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) condemned the highly violent act of Punjab government-backed candidate for Punjab Football Association (PFA) elections Ali Haider Noor Niazi and his allies and urged the government to take stern action against them.
PFF secretary Lt Col (R) Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi revealed that when he entered the office, Niazi along with Hafiz Salman Butt, Moazam, Rana Ashraf, Akram Mubarak, Malik Tariq Rashid, Ch Shafique, Mehmood Khalid accompanied 100 other armed men occupied the reception area and the lawn. The whole building of the PFF was taken over by the accomplices of these people and all the staff members and football team players were held hostage. “On enquiry, Niazi informed me that he had taken over the building on the order of Sports Minister Rana Mashood and Sports Board Punjab DG Usman Anwar and said I along with all the office bearers of the federation, national U-14 football team and over 30 women of the coaching course would be held hostage unless his papers were accepted for the post of PFA president,” he said. “He also entered the election commissioner office and threatened him of dire consequences if his papers were not accepted. The election commissioner, who is a retired IG Police, assured him that a proper scrutiny would be done and then he would give final decision.”
“After this incident, I requested the police to register a criminal case under anti terrorism act against the said individuals and they be immediately arrested for intimidating, threatening and harassing the office bearers of PFF, national football team players and lady coaches and holding them hostage,” he concluded.