FAISALABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has expressed serious concern over the handling of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalization Committee (NC) matters and cited several alleged deviations from the mandate set by FIFA. In a letter addressed to NC Chairman Haroon Malik, the PSB has expressed its displeasure with the way its operations, especially elections, are being handled.
The board also questioned the transparency and fairness of key processes, which it said were against the PFF constitution and FIFA guidelines. The NC was established by FIFA in 2019 with the task of managing the day-to-day affairs of the PFF, handling club registration and organizing elections at district, provincial and national levels. However, PS believes that NC has deviated from these commitments.
“The PSB has received several complaints from stakeholders across the football community, including clubs and athletes, raising concerns about how certain processes, particularly elections, are conducted,” the letter said. The PS expressed doubts about the eligibility of football clubs to vote at the annual general meeting according to Article 81 paragraph 4 letter c) PFF statutes.
According to the rule, clubs must attend at least 90% of the County League Championship and County Football Championship matches in order to vote. “We are seeking clarification as to whether district league championships and district football championships were held during the tenure of the NC. If these championships did not take place, please explain how the participation percentages of the clubs were determined,” the letter questioned.
The PSB also expressed serious concern over the conduct of district-level elections and accused the NC of using WhatsApp as a medium for voting, which it said violates official election procedures. “A review of the district election process” reveals that WhatsApp was used to conduct the election, which is against the official voting procedures as outlined in the district election rules,” the PSB said.
The board said this inconsistency raises doubts about the transparency and validity of the election process and calls for immediate clarification. Another major issue raised by the PSB is the exclusion of government ministries from the ‘National Women’s Club Championship’ under the new format introduced by the NC.
According to the board, government departments have historically participated in the championship and their exclusion could affect fair representation in the upcoming PFF elections. PS referred to the objection of the Army Sports Directorate, which stated that the exclusion of these units violated Article 23 letter a) The PFF Constitution, which grants the championship women’s soccer team the right to vote at the PFF Congress. “With the PFF elections scheduled in the coming months, the exclusion of these departments could raise concerns about inclusiveness and fair right to representation,” the PSB warned.
The PS stressed that these concerns highlight wider governance issues within the NC PFF and urged the committee to address these matters in line with FIFA guidelines and the PFF statutes. “The issues mentioned in this letter are only indicative and not exhaustive. These points serve to highlight broader procedural and administrative issues that require attention to protect the interests of football players in Pakistan,” the letter said. The PS also called for a meeting with the NC to address these concerns and ensure transparency. “We expect a swift and comprehensive response to ensure full compliance with FIFA guidelines as well as the PFF constitution,” the letter concluded.
