KARACHI: Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) vice-president and former senator Syed Aqil Shah Tuesday said that the government should take initiative to ask POA to consult FIFA in a bid to resolve football issue in the country. “It’s the time the government should take an initiative to ask the POA to talk to the FIFA so that the issue could be resolved,” Aqil told ‘The News’ from Peshawar.He added that in case of any dilemma in the country’s sports the concerned NOC should be consulted. “It’s the NOC which is affiliated with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC talks to the NOCs and federations and not to any other. And you know football is an Olympic sport and FIFA is its international body. The POA can talk to FIFA. So there is a procedure and that should be adopted,” Aqil added. FIFA has suspended Pakistan last month for the third party’s interference. And it has also left a stiff message that unless the Pakistan Football Federation’s headquarters in Lahore and its accounts are handed over to the federation, the suspension would not be lifted. On the other hand the matter is in the Lahore High Court and a hearing in this regard would also be held on Wednesday (today).Because of the conflict between the PFF and its rival group, the football has seen a long layoff as since April 2015 Pakistan neither toured abroad, nor it could hold its premier league which is considered the major source of income for the players of departmental sides. POA’s legal advisor Ali Reza had also given his input on behalf of the NOC in the court’s previous hearing held a few days ago.After FIFA suspended Pakistan last month, federal minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada told this correspondent that the state would act after the court’s verdict. However, the sources in the Pakistan Sports Board are of the view that the board could not play any role in the resolution of football issue. The PFF is no longer affiliated with the PSB and both the bodies have already contested a case in the court which ultimately had been decided.Football issue is also in the notice of the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the top military leadership. But so far no concrete step has been taken which could help resolve the matter. Because of the conflict between the PFF and its rival group, the football has seen a long layoff as since April 2015 Pakistan neither toured abroad, nor it could hold its premier league which is considered the major source of income for the players of departmental sides. POA’s legal advisor Ali Reza had also given his input on behalf of the NOC in the court’s previous hearing held a few days ago.After FIFA suspended Pakistan last month, Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada told this correspondent that the state would act after the court’s verdict. However, the sources in the PSB are of the view that the board could not play any role in the resolution of football issue.The PFF is no longer affiliated with the PSB and both the bodies have already contested a case in the court which ultimately had been decided.
