FIFA forewarns to ban Pakistan Football Federation

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the governing body of world football has warned that if the illegal occupation of PFF headquarters is not ended and FIFA-recognized officials are not allowed access to the building by Wednesday, the Pakistan Football Federation can be suspended.

FIFA has said that if the illegal occupation is not stopped by Wednesday evening, the PFF will lose all its membership rights under Article 13 of FIFA moreover national and club football teams may be banned from participating in international competitions.

In a letter addressed to the normalization committee PFF Aaron Malik, FIFA said that in case of non-compliance by illegal occupiers, “the matter will be referred to the FIFA Council Bureau for an immediate decision, in which Article 1 may include suspension of PFF,”

FIFA said it was aware of the unfortunate incident at the PFF headquarters in Lahore and that PFF official were attacked after a group of protesters supporting Syed Ashfaq Hussain stormed its offices. And employees have been reported fired.

“While FIFA strongly condemns the incidents and considers such actions to be totally unacceptable, we would like to remind all relevant parties, in particular the individuals who invaded the PFF premises, that the Normalisation Committee of PFF, established by a decision of the Bureau of the Council and later ratified by the FIFA Council, and which is currently led by your person is the sole executive body of PFF recognised by FIFA,” read the statement.

FIFA has also instructed the PFF normalization committee to continue its work and has requested that its staff should be allowed to work at PFF headquarters.

Pakistan was ranked 145th in the world in 2014/15 despite difficult conditions, which has now come down to 201st place after a record decline.