KARACHI, Oct 16: After suspending former FIFA referee Ahmed Jan, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Thursday has referred his case to the PFF Disciplinary Committee, headed by Naseebullah Bazai Khan.

Ahmed Jan, who is also in charge of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) Stadium, one of the oldest football grounds of Karachi with a capacity of 18,000, was suspended a day earlier from taking part in football-related activities for breaching the PFF Code of Conduct and Discipline.

According to the PFF officials, the former FIFA referee made “false and baseless allegations against the federation which can charge him with violation of Para 2c and 2n of the Code of Conduct according to which officials/PFF staff including Congress members, people working with provincial associations, referees, coaches, players, etc., are not allowed to take any kind of action against the PFF or make any statements verbally or in writing to the media about affairs concerning the PFF officials.”

When contacted for his reaction regarding the suspension, Ahmed Jan who was busy burning effigies of PFF officials including that of their president Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat outside the CDGK Stadium on Thursday evening, said: “I don’t quite understand how they can suspend me from anything when I don’t even work for the PFF.”

When asked if his recent outburst on television prompted the PFF to take action against him, Ahmed Jan said: “All I do is fight for the rights of our ailing former captains of the national team like Abdul Ghafoor, Turab Ali and Abid Ghazi who are in bad shape and are not being looked after by the federation.”

When approached for his opinion on the matter, PFF’s Sceretary-General Col Ahmad Yar Lodhi said: “Irrespective of any title, Ahmed Jan, as the in charge of the CDGK Stadium is involved in football-related activies, which makes him answerable to the PFF.”

About what he stands to lose, Col Lodhi said: “The Disciplinary Committee in its meeting on Oct 31 may recommend to the Sindh Zonal Football Association to fire Ahmed Jan from his position as in charge of a stadium.”

He also wondered why Ahmed Jan, a former international umpire and a respected official, was hell bent upon taking revenge on the PFF officials when the federation itself didn’t hold a grudge against him for anything.