LAHORE: The FIFA-AFC delegation which came to Pakistan on a fact-finding mission following a dispute between two warring groups of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) declared null and void the decision of the Extraordinary Congress meeting under which Faisal Saleh Hayat was removed as the country’s football chief.

Well-informed sources told Dawn that the delegation took the decision because the agenda of that Congress meeting, which was held in Islamabad, did not mention any no-confidence motion against Faisal.

“In fact, the agenda issued to the members of the Congress was confined to discuss the election situation, but the Congress members passed a no-confidence against Faisal and also announce an adhoc set up under acting president Arshad Khan Lodhi and Col Farasat Ali Shah as acting secretary,” sources said.

The delegation also asked Arshad to hand over the PFF House back to Hayat and he would sit there till the completion of his previous term, ending on Aug 31.

But the delegation was told that the PFF House has been handed over to an administrator, appointed by the Lahore High Court (LHC).

The LHC appointed the administrator, while declaring null and void the elections held by Hayat in Changla Gali on June 30, which he held despite the honourable court had ordered him not to hold any elections, till the final decision of the elections of the Punjab Football Association (PFA) held on April 17.

Sources further said the FIFA is most likely to send its written order soon and it is also likely the international body may also raise some questions over the quorum of the elections held in Changla Gali and the controversial PFA elections as Hayat’s rival group headed by Zahir Ali Shah had given some strong points to the delegation.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2015

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