February 12, 2007	Monday	Muharram 23, 1428

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KARACHI, Feb 11: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has ended suspension of Akhtar Mohiuddin, the former national football coach who was suspended last year for what PFF believed was violation of code of conduct.

Through a letter dated Feb 10, 2007, PFF secretary Arshad Lodhi ‘cancelled’ the suspension, warning Akhtar to ‘remain in parameters of PFF code of conduct.’

“Please treat PFF letter referred above regarding your suspension as cancelled as requested by you. You are directed to remain within the parameters of PFF code of conduct,” the secretary wrote to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) football coach.

The decision came after Akhtar recently requested PFF to lift the suspension in the interest of football in Pakistan. He was suspended for an indefinite period by PFF after he left the national training camp in March 2006 following some differences on technical matters with the then coach Salman Ahmed Sharida.

PFF sprung into action when Akhtar commented in the press on why he left the camp. He had left the camp when Sharida refused to give the trainees some rest as suggested by Akhtar.

“I am, however, thankful to the PFF for lifting the suspension and giving me a chance to serve national football,” Akhtar said.

Nevertheless, adopting double standards PFF slapped a ban on Akhtar for offering comments in the press, but it never took any notice of serious violations of code of conduct by former controversial coach Tariq Lutfi few years ago.

Tariq had created unnecessary controversies when he announced through media the team captain, probables and the team as well for different events few years ago. PFF, however, opted for mere a verbal warning. As a matter of principle, the team, its captain, and probables should have been first approved by PFF president Faisal Saleh Hayat before being announced by headquarters in Lahore.

Tariq again came into limelight for all the wrong reasons when he breached the code of conduct, blaming the then chief selector Col Younis Changezi for Pakistan’s poor performance at a press conference. According to Tariq, it was because aging Haroon Yousuf was dropped at the behest of Younis for World Cup qualifiers that Pakistan performed poorly.

Yousuf, who was at the twilight of his career, was removed from the World Cup qualifiers squad with an aim to infuse young blood.