October 04, 2007	Thursday	Ramazan 21, 1428

LAHORE, Oct 3: The much-delayed elections of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), except for president, will be held here on Thursday amid confusion over 10-year ban on former secretary Arshad Lodhi.

Faisal Saleh Hayat has already been retained as PFF President unopposed last June. He was elected after the PFF had announced date of the elections as July 16. But since nominations were not received against Faisal, he was announced as president of the federation for another term.

However, later PFF elections could not be held on July 16 after Arshad Lodhi, the leader of one of the groups contesting the elections of the Punjab Football Association (PFA), got stay-order from Lahore High Court (LHC).

Arshad moved court since PFF had decided to hold elections without PFA.

The PFA was unable to take part in the PFF’s elections because two groups led by Arshad and Tariq Cheema, were involved in litigation over the issue of the provincial body’s elections held in April. Later, the stay order was vacated after Nasim of Tariq group withdrew the case, paving way for the elections of the federation.

Nevertheless, during the legal battle, the PFF had slapped a 10-year ban on Arshad for criticising the PFF in the press. Arshad moved LHC against the ban and the court was to announce the decision on Wednesday.

When contacted, Arshad group spokesman claimed LHC had removed the ban in its verbal decision, while PFF secretary Ahmad Yar Lodhi did not confirm it, saying he could not make contact with federation’s lawyer.

Before involving in litigation, Arshad was re-elected chairman of the PFA but court had ordered the PFF not to announce the polls results as the case was pending. But the confusion still prevails as the PFA election case has now been withdrawn and it is not confirmed whether ban on Arshad has been lifted.

The most important factor is if the ban is yet to be lifted, then how PFA or Arshad would be part of elections as the former PFF secretary was debarred for serious charges of misconduct, maligning the PFF chief and the federation.

The PFF will hold elections to elect three vice-presidents, eight provincial members, three organisational members and two females belonging to Women’s Wing.

The break-up of 21-member PFF electoral is: Punjab 3, NWFP 3, Sindh 3, Balochistan 3, Wapda 1, Pakistan Railways 1, PIA 1, Pakistan Police 1, Higher Education Commission 1, Pakistan Army 1, Pakistan Navy 1, Pakistan Air Force 1 and Pakistan Football Referees Association 1.