Does Pakistan football structure remain fractured? [TNS]

by Alam Zeb Safi

The landscape of Pakistan football still seems to remain fractured. The tenure of Haroon Malik, the Canada-based official appointed by FIFA as the Normalisation Committee (NC) chairman, had left an indelible scar on the sport’s domestic architecture. Malik’s leadership was defined by calculated obstructionism, creating administrative bottlenecks to delay elections in a strategic bid to secure repeated mandate extensions from Zurich.

Though Malik departed just prior to last year’s presidential elections, the things left in his wake continues to stifle progress.

His administration’s heavy investment in PFF’s Connect programme did not look necessary, a venture that prioritized the placement of associates over systemic growth. Perhaps most debatable was the conduct of club scrutiny. It appeared it was favouring “overseas” talent at the expense of homegrown domestic players.

Today, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is still struggling and trying to improve. The current supremo, Mohsen Gilani, a former FIFA Development Officer, making all his all efforts to see Pakistan football go ahead. A December Congress meeting intended to elect executive members from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa collapsed due to a lack of quorum.

The drawback of the current PFF regime is that it still depends on the workforce which had been brought in by Haroon Malik. So what is the difference between reigning PFF and outgoing Normalisation Committee?

The call for action is now urgent. The PFF must immediately launch a national league, adhering to the proven departmental pattern for a transitional period of two years before attempting a fully professional club-based model. Departments have historically been the backbone of Pakistan’s football ecosystem; their abrupt exclusion would be catastrophic.

The state must now intervene, not to interfere in technical matters, but to ensure financial and constitutional accountability. A thorough audit of the NC’s financial transactions and a scrutiny of the current PFF payroll are essential.

Compounding this crisis is the absence of a Technical Director. It is a staggering reality that nearly a year into this administration’s tenure, these two foundational pillars of football governance remain unoccupied.

Almost every mainstream coach has been given a chance by Gilani during the last few months except the country’s two major and highly experienced coaches Tariq Lutfi and Akhtar Mohiuddin who have rendered meritorious services for the country’s football.

It is because perhaps they don’t have a lobby in the PFF. They are not only highly qualified but have rich coaching experience with the Pakistan senior team.

Tariq Lutfi could Have been an automatic choice as head coach of Pakistan women team. Under his coaching Pakistan had reached SAFF Cup semi-finals.

73.alam@gmail.com

Published in The News on Sunday, 19 April 2026

Extended version The ‘hung federation’: PFF’s descent into ethical and administrative chaos [TCP]

The landscape of Pakistan football remains fractured, haunted by the shadows of a controversial transition and an increasingly fragile leadership. The tenure of Haroon Malik, the Canada-based official appointed by FIFA as the Normalisation Committee (NC) chairman, has left an indelible scar on the sport’s domestic architecture.

Malik’s leadership was defined by calculated obstructionism, creating administrative bottlenecks to delay elections in a strategic bid to secure repeated mandate extensions from Zurich. Though Malik departed just prior to last year’s presidential elections, the “mess” left in his wake continues to stifle progress.

His administration’s heavy investment in the allegedly ‘defective’ PFF Connect programme was a colossal waste of time and vital FIFA resources, a venture that prioritized the placement of favored associates over systemic growth. Perhaps most damaging was the conduct of club scrutiny; a foundation built on perceived irregularities inevitably results in a structure that cannot stand.

By favoring “overseas” talent and an urban elite at the expense of homegrown domestic players, Malik deepened the divisions within a system already gasping for air.

Today, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is regarded as the weakest regime in its history. The current supremo, Mohsen Gilani, a former FIFA Development Officer, lacks the political gravitas and commanding presence of seasoned predecessors like Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat. Gilani, perceived as a shrewd opportunist who capitalized on a power vacuum, ascended to the presidency with a mere four votes, benefiting from a strategic alliance with the Hafiz Zakaullah group.

This “hung federation” is a precarious arrangement. Gilani’s authority is under constant threat of derailment as he operates without a clear majority or the mandate required to resurrect a sport crippled by a decade of internal strife. While a rumored deal suggests Gilani will yield the post to the Zaka group in May 2026, the complexity of football politics makes such a transition far from certain.

The failures of the current regime are manifest. After ten months in office, the federation has failed to revitalize domestic football. A December Congress meeting intended to elect executive members from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa collapsed due to a lack of quorum, a “flop show” that signaled a total loss of administrative control. This lack of oversight extends to the PFF Secretariat, where appointments are made based on personal links.

Investigation into recruitment processes reveals a disturbing trend. Interviews for high-level positions, including the media department, were either non-existent or served as mere formalities for pre-selected candidates. Furthermore, the salaries awarded to Secretariat staff have raised eyebrows. Individuals previously earning 100,000 PKR are now receiving packages several times that amount. The same extra amount being given to its staff members in salaries should be directed toward players and infrastructure.

The biggest drawback of the current PFF regime is that it still depends on the workforce which had been brought in by Haroon Malik. So what is the difference between reigning PFF and outgoing Normalisation Committee?

The call for action is now urgent. The PFF must immediately launch a national league, adhering to the proven departmental pattern for a transitional period of two years before attempting a fully professional club-based model. Departments have historically been the backbone of Pakistan’s football ecosystem; their abrupt exclusion would be catastrophic.

While the PFF’s social media platforms project an image of progress through photographs and videos with FIFA and AFC dignitaries, the reality on the ground remains stagnant. The state must now intervene, not to interfere in technical matters, but to ensure financial and constitutional accountability. A thorough audit of the NC’s financial transactions and a scrutiny of the current PFF payroll are essential.

Pakistan football is a national asset, not the private fiefdom of transient officials. If the current regime continues to bypass the ExCo and the Congress, it will soon find itself in a legal and moral quagmire from which there may be no escape.

The administrative fragility of the PFF is most glaringly evident in its chronic inability to fill core leadership roles. Despite conducting interviews for the position of General Secretary, the post remains vacant, begging a fundamental question: how can a national federation function effectively without its chief executive?

Compounding this crisis is the absence of a Technical Director. It is a staggering reality that nearly a year into this administration’s tenure, these two foundational pillars of football governance remain unoccupied.

The pathetic thing is that despite the pathetic situation of the PFF, stakeholders are silent. Gilani is a clever person. He has kept everyone silent by giving them the opportunities in their respective fields. He is backing hugely his own voters and especially coach Adeel Rizki who had been brought in by Haroon Malik as national women team coach. Gilani also gave him a chance to act as Nolberto Solano’s assistant and retained him as women’s team head coach.

Adeel Rizki cannot act as a coach as per constitution. He is a Congress member and owns a woman club in the name of Karachi City FC which won the National Women Championship in 2024 and got the right to vote. It’s not a crime for the PFF supremo to go against the Constitution.

PFF Constitution Article 81, Clause D says. “No active referee/coach can play from any club and an active referee/coach be an office-bearer of any association/club. It clearly shows that Pak women team head coach Adeel Rizki cannot serve as coach.

Almost every mainstream coach has been given a chance by Gilani during the last few months except the country’s two major and highly experienced coaches Tariq Lutfi and Akhtar Mohiuddin who have rendered meritorious services for the country’s football. It is because they don’t have a lobby in the PFF. They are not only highly qualified but have rich coaching experience with the Pakistan senior team.

Tariq Lutfi was an automatic choice as head coach of Pakistan women team. Gilani should give top responsibilities to these two highly dignified coaches in the PFF. If they are put in the system things will be seen to improve. Mr Gilani, act constitutionally otherwise you will suffer, football will suffer. You are not Haron Malik who had been appointed by FIFA. You are a product of democratic set-up and you will be questioned for what you have done.