June 03, 2007	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 17, 1428

KARACHI, June 2: While the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) elections are 43 days away and the Sindh Football Association (SFA) has already held its polls, the Karachi City District Football Association (KCDFA) says it has been delaying its elections for ‘political reasons.’

KCDFA chairman Abdul Malik says decision about the Karachi association’s elections would be taken only after the return of Ghulam Abbas Baloch from Zurich where he had gone to attend the FIFA Congress along with the PFF president Faisal Saleh Hayat.

“I can’t say why we are delaying the elections. But the reasons are certainly political. All I can say is that we will take a decision in this regard once Abbas Baloch returns from Zurich,” Malik said on Saturday.

Insiders say although Abbas, who has recently been re-elected chairman of the SFA, has nothing to do with the KCDFA, he has an influence on Malik who enjoys support in three Karachi zones namely South, Central and East, while Abbas in West and Malir.

Sources said it was Abbas who asked Malik to delay the KCDFA elections in which his opponent group might have dominated and spoiled his chances at the SFA polls.

Asked how the KCDFA could be delayed when polls at zonal and provincial levels had already been completed, Malik disclosed the KCDFA did not come in PFF’s domain since there was no room in the constitution for a body at the city level.

The KCDFA chairman, however, made it clear although according to PFF constitution, there should be no body at city level, it was vital to have the associations to run the football affairs.

The official was, however, unconvincing when asked why there should be a body at city level when there is no provision in the PFF constitution.

“PFF constitution is not an ideal constitution and it has some mistakes. But since now it doesn’t have a body at city level, KCDFA has been formed on our request, he said.

The situation shows how pathetic are the football affairs. Not only the PFF constitution is being openly violated despite knowledge of the people at its helm, but politics has its roots deep in the system, down from zone and cities up to the provincial and national levels.