14 May 2004	Friday	23 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

LAHORE, May 13: The much-awaited national 'A' football league finally kicks off from May 28 with 16 teams taking part in the competition.

After delaying the programme for years, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has finally decided to launch the league following several reminders from Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA.

National league is one of the pre-requisites to receive grant from AFC. The Asian body emphasizes the need to its affiliates to organize league to expand the base of the game. However, PFF abolished two premier championships - the national competition and PFF President's Cup to include the league in its annual calendar.

Newly-appointed PFF technical director Mujahidullah Tareen said on Thursday that eight departmental teams that played quarterfinals of the last PFF Cup would play in the league.

Eight top clubs, two each from every province, would join them in the league after playing in the Inter-district league. The eight departments to appear in the league are PTCL, KPT, Army, Wapda, ABL, HBL, KRL and Navy.

So far two NWFP clubs have qualified which are Young Eleven Club, Dera Ismail Khan, and Mardan Club, Mardan. PFF is yet to receive results of the Inter-district league from other provinces.

PFF official said league had hectic schedule and 240 matches would be played on home and away basis. PFF has estimated a total expenditure of $106,000 for which the federation but failed to find the sponsor, therefore, PFF got a special permission from FIFA to use the annual $250,000 aid from the world body to organize the league.

Negotiations are under way with a private Dubai-based sports TV channel to broadcast the recorded matches of the league. The winners of every match would get Rs6,000 and the losers Rs3,000. PFF would provide free boarding and lodging and railway fare to the teams.

Earlier, the PFF had planned to provide travel facility by air but reversed its decision considering the huge cost of Rs10 million. Meanwhile, the PFF is ignorant about an offer made to six Pakistani players to play in Turkey.

The players are Tahir Karamat, Mohammad Yasin, Shahid Ahmad, Zahid Hameed, Arif Masih and Sarfaraz Rasool. They have reportedly received the offer through a FIFA's player agent. A PFF spokesman said not a single player made any contact with the federation to get permission which was necessary.