Saud Hashmi appointed as new chairman of PFF NC

FIFA has appointed Saud Hashmi has new chairman of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalization Committee.

Saud, who served as member of NC during the last three years, will replace Canada-based Haroon Malik whose contract will expire on February 15.

Haroon refused to extend his contract and sources close to him said that he did not want to stay anymore as he had done his job. He had told FIFA that his contract should not be extended.

Haroon had replaced former NC chairman Humza Khan who had resigned in December 2020 after serving for less than two years.

Shahid Khokhar and Haris Azmat will continue to serve as NC’s members.

FIFA have also extended NC’s mandate until July 31, 2025.

FIFA last week suspended Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) after the newly-elected PFF Congress rejected the proposed amendments from FIFA.

FIFA say that the suspension will be lifted only when Congress will approve the proposed amendments in the PFF Constitution.

The biggest issue Pakistan is facing is that FIFA will not fund it unless the country is under suspension and it will hit football hard again.

However, sources said that Congress will soon take a positive decision as it is very important for it to take U-turn and accept the proposed amendments in the PFF 2014 Constitution.

FIFA wants to make the eligibility criteria wide open which will enable more people to contest for the PFF’s presidency.

Congress on the other hand wants to restrict it to 36 Executive Committee members of four provinces and Islamabad Football Association (IFA).

FIFA had given NC the mandate to conduct the PFF elections by February 15. However, the deadlock obstructed the process and it may now take more time. The ball is now in the court of Congress whether it keeps mum or sign the proposed amendments.

On January 24 the PFF Congress rejected the proposed amendments in its extraordinary meeting which was conducted by FIFA and AFC virtually.