LAHORE – Normalisation Committee Chairman Haroon Malik has said that he is now keen to help Pakistan get FIFA ban lifted on Football Federation (PFF), hold free and fair PFF elections and revive Pakistan football activities in and outside the country.
Haroon shared these views while addressing a press conference here at the PFF Headquarters on Saturday after getting back the FIFA House. NC Members Muhammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar, Saud Hashmi and Barrister Haris Azmat were also present on the occasion. “I am grateful to FIFA, Pakistan football community and especially Dr. Fehmida Mirza, who remained very active during the entire episode, President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Board of Revenue (BOR) for playing key role in handing over of the FIFA House. DG PSB Col (R) Asif Zaman also potentially supported the process. I am also thankful to media persons for their continuous support in this noble cause.
“The role played by NC members is also really commendable as they remained firm for their stance, which helped us get back the FIFA House and this firmness and steadiness will further help us put Pakistan football on right track,” he added.
Sharing his priority list after getting back the hold of FIFA House, Haroon said: “First of all, we will make the FIFA House operational. We will gain back the control of bank accounts and physical and digital assets as per FIFA directions. The very first step will help us convince FIFA to lift ban on the PFF.
“The online registration system of local clubs will revolutionise Pakistan football clubs, which can be assessed by each and every member of the FIFA, and it will make our footballers prosper and give them exposure and reason to adopt football as a professional sport. “The basic purpose of online registration of local clubs is to register them in the first phase, and then scrutinize them as it will help the NC hold fair and transparent elections of the PFF,” he added.
The NC head also revealed that the NC will also keep Pakistani footballers and officials engage in national and international football activities. “Besides focusing on PFF elections and holding them in the given time frame, the NC will also organise international events in 2022, for both genders out of which eight are age specific cum youth events. To prepare our national teams for the international events, we will also conduct national events that will help in selection and training of national footballers.
“We have all-out support of FIFA in executing our plans and we are very committed in achieving our goals. We need full cooperation from all the stakeholders including government, football family, players, officials and media in taking some revolutionary steps that will benefit Pakistan football in the long run,” Haroon concluded.