Hajra Khan, the Pakistan women’s national football team captain, has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi to come forward in support of players as their future is on stake after FIFA suspended the national federation due to third-party interference.
The captain, who is disheartened by the Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) recent suspension, shared a video message on social media.
“Today I speak in utmost sadness. PFF was banned by FIFA today for the second time in the last five years,” she said.
Saying she is speaking on behalf of herself and other footballers in Pakistan Hajra said, “We have worked hard, with blood and sweat, to represent this country. We have taken it to the podium, we have won championships in the past. Where do we go next? Which sport do we switch to?”
Making an appeal to both president and PM, “There is still hope and we do expect a response from you two,” she said.
“We do expect the country to back us when we need them the most right now,” Hajra Khan added. “It is a request, it might not be humble anymore, but it is a request. it is a need.”
On April 7, The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) with immediate effect due to a hostile takeover of the Lahore headquarters.
A statement issued by the global football body stated that third-party interference was a serious violation of the FIFA statutes.
“This situation was prompted by the recent hostile takeover of the Pakistan Football Federations headquarters in Lahore by a group of protestors and an alleged decision by certain individuals to remove the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee of the PFF led by Haroon Malik and to hand over the leadership of the PFF to Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah.’ the statement added.
FIFA suspends Pakistan Football Federation after “recent hostile takeover of the PFF head office in Pakistan."
Players have all been affected roughly. Football as a sport has been rediculed over time in Pakistan.
Who's answerable?@ArifAlvi @ImranKhanPTI #FIFABan pic.twitter.com/VYGPvcF76G— Hajra Khan (@hajrakn) April 8, 2021
Syed Ashfaq Shah led a group that had takeover into PFF headquarters last month, forcing Haroon Malik along with others to vacate the office control.
FIFA had termed the takeover illegal and issued an ultimatum that the committee should be handed over the PFF control by March 31 otherwise Pakistan could be suspended from its membership. The overtaking group also disregarded the deadline from the global body and continued working.
The issued statement further added that this suspension will only be lifted once FIFA has received confirmation from the normalisation committee of the PFF that the PFF’s premises, accounts, administration, and communication channels are again under its full control and it can continue to carry out its mandate without further hindrance.
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