Fate Of Football In Pakistan To Be Decided In October

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jun, 2019 ) :The fate of Pakistan football will be decided in October this year after the verdict of FIFA and AFC Commission on the clash between the two-parallel groups in the country.

Football seems to be gasping for air in Pakistan, as the green-shirts standstill at 205th spot in the Rankings and can descend even more, due to the awaiting decision.

Football in Pakistan is run by two Pakistan Football Federations, one under Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat which is recognised by FIFA and AFC, while the other led by Syed Ashfaq Hussain.

Talking to APP, a source close to the developments, said the F�d�ration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) commission will be forwarding the report to Member Associations Committee (MAC) on the matter.

"The MAC is scheduled to meet in Zurich, Switzerland in October and the decision on the matter will come to fore most likely on October 26 or 27," he said.

Meanwhile to make it even worse, the game is likely to be excluded from the annual National Games scheduled to be held in Peshawar in November, he said.

"Recently football was not invited to Pakistan Olympic Association's (POA) meeting which took place on June 15 as POA does not want to get in hot waters.

" "If POA had invited Ashfaq Hussain led group it would have gone against the FIFA Olympic Charter while if Faisal Saleh Hayat group had been invited in the meeting, than the other would have gone to courts against it," he explained.

Speaking about the expected chances of which group had been able to satisfy the FIFA-AFC commission, he said let's hope for the best for Pakistan.

However, when contacted, Islamabad Football Association (IFA), General Secretary, Syed Sharafat Hussain Bukhari said even if the decision comes against Ashfaq Hussain led group, they won't go back foot, as the country's respect comes first.

Responding to a question, he said the FIFA-AFC commission refused to meet former Punjab Football Association's (PFA) president Sardar Navid Haider who was removed and banned from football activities for five years by the Extra-ordinary Congress.

It may also be mentioned here that Pakistan had lost the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers to Cambodia by 0-2 and 1-2, respectively.

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