LAHORE, March 21: FIFA Goal Project representative for Pakistan Mohsin Gillani has said the work on the project was going at a snail’s pace but added he had warned the construction company to complete it by the May 25 deadline.

“The pace of work is slow but I have made it clear to the construction company that there will be no compromise over the deadline,” Mohsin told Dawn.

Asked what action FIFA would take in case of delay, Mohsin says “a clause is mentioned in the deed according to which the company will pay the penalty in cash”, he said, without disclosing the amount of penalty.

He said the construction company’s official had informed him during a meeting that unprecedented rainy season in Lahore this year was the major reason behind slow pace.

“They assured me the project will be completed on the set date as the company will increase the pace of work by working overtime and enhancing the labour,” he said.

He denied that the FIFA was also providing funds late which were causing delay.

“We are bound to make payment of every bill submitted to us by the company according to pattern decided in the deed, and we are doing so,” he said.

The Goal is to be completed with a total amount of $800,000 while FIFA is providing $460,000. The construction company will earn $655,000 and the consultant had received $42,500 while an estimated amount of $100,000 is required for furnishing.

He said Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) was bound to arrange the remaining fund as the completion of the Goal was its commitment.

He said that Goal in India, which was launched along with Pakistan’s, had been completed and he was ready for inspection next month.

Mohsin said FIFA had increased the amount for women activities in Pakistan from four per cent to 10 from its annual grant of USD 250,000.

Asked how the federation would use the funds since there was no women wing functioning, he defended the federation saying it had arranged some courses and matches for the women.

But when asked women, who played in the matches, could play only for 20 minutes since they were over age and basically involved in cricket, hockey, tennis and athletics, he said the things would come on the track with the passage of time.

He said that the FIFA had given some guidelines to the PFF to promote the game in the country but the world body had no responsibility to provide any special funds other than to the annual grant.

The FIFA official said the international body had asked the PFF not to use the kind of amount it used for holding the national league but he did not disclose how much amount PFF would be allowed to use from FIFA funds to organize next league.

FIFA had specially allowed the PFF to meet all the expenditures of the national league for a year (2004-05) since it was being held for the first time.

“Now PFF will use some part of FIFA funds and has to arrange the remaining amount through sponsorships.”

Asked it was hard to get sponsorship for football in Pakistan, he said that it was not FIFA’s concern.

He said that there were some grey areas noticed in organising the national league and the biggest was the non-availability of a sponsor.