July 11, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 25, 1428

LAHORE, July 10: While the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has declared a ten-year ban on federation’s former secretary general Mohammad Arshad Khan Lodhi to hold office of any association/the federation or take part in any football activity on Tuesday, Arshad has called it illegal and unconstitutional.

The PFF Secretary Ahmed Yar Lodhi said the decision was taken on the recommendations of the disciplinary committee headed by Moin Rauf, adding that Arshad has been penalised for issuing press statements against the PFF’s top management.

“Besides the ban Arshad has also been fined Rs200,000 after being found guilty of violating the PFF Code of Conduct and discipline along with his colleagues Chaudhry Abdul Rasheed and Anees Ahmed Khan Lodhi,” the secretary stated.

Rasheed is a member of the PFF Congress, and Anees is the president Lahore District Football Association. Both have been banned for five years and fined Rs50,000 each.

“The PFF disciplinary committee has found all (three) of them guilty as they are violating Para 2-c and 2-n of the PFF Code of Conduct, according to which “officials/PFF staff including the Congress members, provincial associations, people working with the provincial associations, referees, coaches, players etc. are not allowed to take any action against the interest of the PFF or to issue any press statements or address letters to media concerning the affairs of the PFF officials”,” the federation’s secretary stated.

Meanwhile, Arshad, in his rejoinder, said first of all the PFF did not announce any disciplinary committee after its previous one headed by Syed Agha Liaquat Ali who resigned last month.

Secondly, he questioned, how the disciplinary committee could take a unilateral decision without holding any inquiry or without summoning him for allowing him to describe his version.

He said according to the PFF constitution, the committee had no power to impose ban on any person, adding it could only fine or reprimand.

“The so-called disciplinary committee did not follow the basic laws of justice as it should have listened to both parties before taking any decision.

“Therefore, the whole procedure proved my early claim that the PFF is running without any constitution under the one-man show of President Faisal Saleh Hayat who wants to conduct the affairs dictatorially,” he added.

Arshad had been issuing press statements, alleging the PFF was going to hold its next election on July 14, without following the constitutional requirements. He had also written letters to the FIFA and the AFC to prevent the elections.