RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has said that concrete and practical measures are required for promotion of football in the country.

There is a need to resolve the administrative issues and having an active interaction with FIFA in this regard, he added. A representative delegation of Pakistan would meet the FIFA administration to apprise the sports body of the ground realities of football in the country.

He expressed these views while presiding over a special committee of Senate constituted for promotion of football in the country.

The meeting was attended by Senators Dr Asad Ashraf, Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Ahmed Khan and Barrister Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, President Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Ashfaq Hussain Shah, Director General Pakistan Sports Board, Arif Ibrahim and representatives of different organisations associated with football.

The chairman Senate said that the internal disputes must be resolved for promotion of football in addition to provision of quality infrastructures and organising regular tournaments to create awareness about this all important sports.

He further said that not only the Pakistan Football Federation and Pakistan Sports Board should join their efforts but the private sector should also be involved to steer the agenda of enhancing the game of football in the country.

He said that first priority is seeking the cooperation of private sector for developing the sports infrastructure and organising football tournaments across the country with the financial assistance of corporate sector.

He directed PFF to prepare a practical action plan and calendar of events for the proposed tournaments. He further directed PSB to fully cooperate with federation with provision of sports grounds as well as an office to the PFF in Islamabad. The meeting was apprised that on the directions of Supreme Court of Pakistan, elections of the federation were held and a new body was elected.

President PFF Ashfaq Hussain Shah informed the meeting that different issues have been discussed with FIFA; however, the international sports body needs to be apprised of the ground realities of the situation of football in Pakistan.

Senators Ahmed, Asad Ashraf and Mirza Muhammad Afridi opined, "We must come out of the internal disputes and devise a way forward for the promotion of football involving all the stakeholders and ensuring better working relationship among different organisations."

The chairman Senate constituted a subcommittee headed by Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi for preparing a comprehensive plan for promotion of football in the country in consultation with all the stakeholders.

The minister and secretary of Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination would be invited during the next meeting of the committee along with the private sector representatives of corporate sector companies to deliberate on promotion of football. The chairman Senate also asked Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif to devise a plan for taking up various issues with the FIFA in consultation with the PFF and other stakeholders.