Vice Chairman PTI Sports & Culture Demands Of Voting Right For Merged Tribal Areas

Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sports and Culture Wing Shahid Khan Shinwari Friday demanded from Pakistan Olympic Association, Asian Football Confederation (AFC), FIFA and Normalization Committee of the Pakistan Football Federation to give voting right to neglected merged tribal areas, which considered as hub of football in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Aug, 2020 ) :Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sports and Culture Wing Shahid Khan Shinwari Friday demanded from Pakistan Olympic Association, Asian Football Confederation (AFC), FIFA and Normalization Committee of the Pakistan Football Federation to give voting right to neglected merged tribal areas, which considered as hub of football in Pakistan.

"I don't know why the youth of merged tribal districts, had earlier being ignored at Pakistan Olympic Association forum and now despite producing most talented footballers in Pakistan, has been ignored by the Normalization Committee constituted by AFC-FIFA to conduct free, fair and transparent election of the Pakistan Football Federation," said Shahid Khan.

Talking to media in Peshawar, former President of FATA Olympic Association and national footballer Shahid Shinwari has warned that the youth of merged tribal districts would come up against the decision of Pakistan Olympic Association as well as Normalization Committee of the Pakistan Football Federation.

"If they would not revisit their decisions of ignoring the youth of seven merged districts including North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Kurram, Orakzai, Khyber, Bajaur, and Mohmand and six sub-districts, the youth would come up for their rights and challenge them on every forum," he added.

"We have a lot of talent in all games in the merged districts but with no voting rights," he informed. He said the POA conducted the election of the FATA Olympic Association and had given affiliation but when FATA merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa POA out-rightly dis-affiliate merged districts from all Games, and thus the door of opportunities of fielding separate teams in all affiliated games were closed on the youth of merged districts.

He said the youth of merged districts passed through insurgency and militancy and instead of giving more opportunities to these traumatized youth of merged districts, they have been pushing them back to darkness.

He said, before joining Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the tribal youth had a separate identity and have the opportunities to field their separate teams so now it is time to provide facilities and development to our youth and a representation should be given in all forum including Pakistan Olympic Association, Pakistan Football Federation and in all sports associations.

"There is a need to give rights to the players and officials of the merged districts," he said. He said that full representation of the merged districts in the Pakistan Football Federation is essential because the merged districts are full of football talent. "Voting rights for our seven districts should be given as per its affiliation with Pakistan Football Federation since 2011," Shahid said, adding, "They have sent letters to President POA, AFC and FIFA.

"If we are not given voting rights, we will take to the streets and knock on the doors of the courts for our legitimate right and right of our youth," he said. He appealed to the Prime Minister Imran Khan, President of Pakistan Arif Alvi, and The Chief Justice of Pakistan to come and rescue the talented youth of merged tribal districts and save them from being lost.

He expressed the hope that POF, AFC-FIFA would announce voting rights and representation to the youth of merged districts. With voting rights and representation, the youth of merged tribal districts would be able to come up into the mainstream of talent through fielding their own teams in different games, and find more opportunities to win name and fame for Pakistan, Shahid Khan concluded.