March 04, 2007	Sunday	Safar 14, 1428

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LAHORE, March 3: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has relieved its secretary Arshad Khan Lodhi after making amendment to its constitution to appoint a paid secretary as per FIFA's directives.

The decision was made on Saturday at a special meeting of the General Council which, according to another amendment, will be called Congress. The Congress would be legislative body of PFF to be elected in accordance with the PFF constitution. The Congress also approved the programme for the next elections this year from district to PFF level.

Although PFF president Faisal Saleh Hayat paid tributes to Arshad, the two officials never had good working relations.

Faisal said with changes in the constitution of the federation, the PFF had become a corporate body rather than just a federation. He also announced the four election commissioners to conduct elections in four provinces.

Scrutiny of the clubs will be completed in all districts by April 15 followed by district elections. Provinces are scheduled to hold their elections by May 30 while PFF by June 30.

The House also approved four neutral election commissioners, Bahre Karam (Sindh), Shafqat Mehmood (NWFP), Syed Nayar Hussain (Punjab) and Irfan Khan Niazi (Balochistan).

PFF president said the players and officials had been asked strictly to follow the WADA and FIFA doping codes.

He said PFF was finding it hard to attract sponsors because of a break in holding Pakistan-India home and away series.

"The Pakistan and India teams are so busy with international assignment that it's getting hard for us to find time for a series every two years, “ said PFF president.