FIFA gives 24-hour ultimatum to end PFF’s hostile takeover

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has given a 24-hour ultimatum to the Ashfaq Shah-led group to end the hostile takeover of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) headquarters.

The Football House building in Lahore was attacked by Shah and his group members, as per a statement released by the federation on Saturday evening.

As per the sources, the members of the group took over the PFF house, harassed the staff members there and took away the cheque books which halted all the activities of football in the country.

Following such events, the PFF late on Saturday night announced that the ongoing 2021 Women’s National Championship, which was being organised in Karachi, has been called off.

As per a statement by the PFF on Tuesday, FIFA warns of suspension of football activities in Pakistan if the ‘illegitimate occupation on headquarters not lifted, recognised office bearers not permitted free access to building by Wednesday evening’.

The statement also re-emphasised that if the steps are not taken to give the control back to the office bearers, the matter ‘shall be immediately submitted to the Bureau of the Council for decision, which might include the suspension of PFF on the basis of art. 16 par’.

FIFA also went on to ‘strongly condemns’ the events took place on March 27, 2021 in Lahore.

“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.