Faisal hopeful about SAFF C’ship in Karachi
Says FIFA President to inaugurate Football House in Lahore

ISLAMABAD—The representatives of South Asian Football Federation have expressed satisfaction over the suitability of venue in Karachi for holding South Asian Championship while FIFA President Sepp Blatter will inaugurate Football House in Lahore.
“SAFF Championship is the foremost soccer event for South Asian Nations and we will keep it in Pakistan at all costs”, the Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh said after Executive Committee and General Council meetings of Pakistan Football Federation at Northern Areas House on Wednesday.
“I had personally talked to Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Rahim about shabby look of Karachi’s Peoples Complex’s and CM did his best to change condition of the stadium”, said Faisal who is also the PFF President.
“SAFF delegation showed satisfaction in their recent inspection and their report about the venue is expected within two weeks”, he said.
Faisal said 65 percent work on Football House in Lahore had been completed and its inauguration would be performed by FIFA President Sepp Blatter immediately after Eidul Fitr this year.
He said President Gen. Pervez Musharraf is taking keen interest to see President of 205-members FiFA, the world football body, on Pakistan soil.
The Executive Committee meeting was followed by General Council meeting during which PFF Secretary General Muhammad Arshad Khan Lodhi and other members were also present.
PFF President asked the heads of Provincial Associations to accelerate registration of clubs and to discourage over-age players.
“PFF will not compromise on practice of fielding overage players. All the teams taking part in the ongoing Quetta’s National Under-17 national event should have non-fake documents, otherwise they will be thrown out of the competition”, he said.
Age-Scrutiny was very strict in the National Youth Championship at Abbottabad last month and same vigil will be maintained at Quetta, he said.
The PFF President said that sponsorship and media were the two important features in enhancing the image of a national body and he was concentrating on these matters.
He appreciated the way Arif Rahim, Director (Marketing) obtained sponsorships for the Indo-Pak Series in June.
PFF President also disclosed that recently Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Mohammed bin Hamman sent him a Letter of Appreciation.
“The AFC (based in Kuala-Lumpur) is satisfied with PFF’s performance”, he said, adding that 78% of the matches per year held during last seven years are organized by PFF under him.
PFF Secretary Arshad Lodhi hoped that First National Women Championship next month will be a success.
He asked the women delegation, present on this occasion, to take serious steps in this regard as FIFA is keen to develop women soccer in Pakistan.
He said Pakistan would take part in inaugural AFC Challenge Cup next year.
He also unveiled AFC plans to launch a new competition as part of its efforts to develop the game in the continent’s ‘emerging’ football nations.
“These 17 (emerging) countries need time to catch up and close the gap on the more advanced nations in Asia. It is hoped that the new competition will enlarge awareness about football in these countries and accelerate the game’s development there”, he said.
PFF President also expressed his keen desire to develop youth soccer.
Due to his personal interest, Pakistan team took part in AFC Under-14 Festival at Kathmandu, Nepal in April 2004, followed by AFC Under-13 Festival in Bangladesh this year.
Now Pakistan will take on arch-rivals India in qualifying phase (Group-G) of AFC Under-17 Football Championship in India on November 13, followed by clash with Tajikistan on November 15.
Later, Pakistani team will also compete in the AFC Youth Championship qualifiers (Group-E) against Uzbekistan on November 23 and Tajikistan on November 25.