KARACHI:
Former Balochistan Football Association’s (BFA) Secretary General and Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) Congress member Haji Saeed has said the federation has lost its authority over football affairs in the country.
“There is no writ of the PFF, and this is extremely damaging for football in the country,” Haji Saeed told The Express Tribune in an interview.
“I urge PFF chief Mohsin Gilani not to give in to pressure from the PFF Executive Committee and Congress members and make merit-based decisions. If he cannot do that, he does not deserve to remain PFF’s chief,” Haji Saeed said.
Haji Saeed has been a key figure in Balochistan football. His rival group, led by Haji Khalil, is currently running the BFA through Haji Jamil, who is serving as president of the provincial association.
Haji Saeed claimed that divisions also existed within the PFF, with several influential figures at odds with one another, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the sport.
He stressed the need to hold elections for the executive committee members and president of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Football Association.
“Nearly one-and-a-half years have passed since Gilani and his team took charge of PFF affairs, but they have been unable to hold elections for the two KP Football Association ExCo seats and its president. This is ridiculous,” Haji Saeed said.
“KP is being run by an acting president, and there is no elected president there. The PFF will only proceed with elections when it knows it has a majority in Congress,” he claimed.
“Another issue is that unless Kaleemullah and Col Nouman join hands, they will not hold elections there,” he said, adding that senior PFF officials supported different candidates in the two camps.
Haji Saeed also criticised the PFF over what he described as unfair selection for youth teams. He claimed that around 50 per cent of the players called up to a recent training camp of colts did not deserve places in the national setup.
He further alleged that 150 of the 300 clubs in Balochistan had been granted voting rights despite many being inactive.
“I think 90 to 95 of the clubs given voting rights in Balochistan do not exist at all,” Haji Saeed said.
He also criticised the opposition for remaining silent, arguing that its inaction was worsening the situation.
“The opposition is silent, and this is adding to football’s misery. If Zahir Shah cannot contest in KP, he has other people who can. He should demand immediate elections for the ExCo members and the president of the KP Football Association,” Haji Saeed said.
He called on the PFF to announce the Premier League and National Football Challenge Cup without further delay.
“If you cannot finalise your professional league, why not revive the old Premier League and the National Challenge Cup?” he asked.
“We are unable to groom our domestic players, and this is highly irresponsible on the part of the PFF and its president,” Haji Saeed said.
Asked about PFF Director Technical Adeel Rizki, Haji Saeed declined to discuss him in detail, saying he did not consider him qualified even to coach a district-level club.
Haji Saeed argued that Pakistan’s football administration existed largely on social media rather than through meaningful action.
“I receive several pictures every day of the PFF’s president meeting high-profile people, but I question what benefit these meetings bring,” he said.
“If you want to run football, you must first act in accordance with the constitution, hold elections in KP, give the senior team head coach a role, ensure selection on merit, hold ExCo and Congress meetings as required by the constitution, and put your house in order. Only then will you be able to focus on football development.”
“If your foundations are not stable, how can you develop the sport? The opposition should also play its role in compelling the PFF to follow its constitution and address its working practices, which are damaging football in the country,” Haji Saeed concluded.