July 27, 2007	Friday	Rajab 11, 1428

LAHORE, July 26: While Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has said FIFA had accepted the re-election of its president Faisal Saleh Hayat, ex-secretary Arshad Lodhi claimed on Thursday international body of the game had still been reviewing his complaint against the elections process.

According to a July 25 e-mail message to Arshad from Urs Kluser, the head of associations FIFA, the information is being gathered from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and their development officer on the complaint.

“Your message has been forwarded to me by our deputy secretary-general Markus Kattner. We have also received your fax message on June 29 regarding the issue of the PFF elections and subsequent e-mail messages. Unfortunately, only the last page of the fax has been transmitted. In the meantime, we had however contacted our colleagues from AFC and our development officer.

“They are in the process of gathering more information about the situation in the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and we are waiting for their response. We will get back to you as soon as we have received the additional information,” the e-mail stated.

Kluser sent the e-mail in response to an e-mail message sent by Arshad to Kattner on July 23.

“As per our telephonic conversation today, I just want to remind about my letters dated July 9, 2007 through courier, July 11, 12, 17, through fax in which violations of PFF constitution and FIFA statutes were highlighted. I want to bring into your notice that no reply has been received so far. It is requested to please look into it and inform me,” Arshad’s e-mail stated.

On July 18, the PFF issued a press release saying FIFA has snubbed Arshad and had rejected his allegations of unconstitutional approach for Faisal’s re-election.

PFF secretary Ahmad Yar Lodhi stood by PFF’s earlier statement, adding the press release was issued after receiving a reply from FIFA's president Sepp Blatter's secretariat.

“We have sent para wise comments to FIFA against Arshad's allegations before getting a go ahead from FIFA,” the PFF secretary said.

PFF elections, scheduled to be held on July 14 were postponed after Arshad got a stay order from Lahore High Court a day before polls when he didn’t receive FIFA support. PFF had announced Faisal’s re-election a month before elections since nominations were not received against him for the post two months before polls. According to PFF constitution nominations for post of president should be sent two months before election.