ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The chief of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) announced on Wednesday that every effort would be made to keep the SAFF Championship in Pakistan. Faisal Saleh Hayat said following the Executive and General Council meetings of PFF at the Northern Areas House that the report of the SAFF delegation on Karachi was expected within two weeks.

“I personally talked to the Sindh Chief Minister Ghulam Arbab Rahim about the shape of Karachi’s People’s Complex and he did his best to change the destiny of the stadium.”

Faisal said that President Gen Pervez Musharraf was taking keen interest in FIFA chief Sepp Blatter’s proposed visit to Pakistan for inaugurating the Football House in Lahore. “The president has promised to personally receive him.”

“Sixty five percent of work on the Football House has been done and once completed, it will be a distinctive feature in Pakistan’s sports.” The inauguration will be done soon after Eidul Fitr.

Arshad Khan Lodhi, the secretary of PFF meanwhile hoped that next month’s inaugural national women’s championship proves to be a success.

He asked the women’s delegation present on the occasion to initiate serious steps in this regard because FIFA was keen to develop women’s soccer in Pakistan.