ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) to hold fresh elections for the post of the president in accordance with its previous directive.
PFF chief Faisal Saleh Hayat had previously urged the court to delay the elections.
Last month, a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar had ordered the PFF to conduct the elections within one month under Pakistan Bar Council member Shoaib Shaheen supervision.
A conflict had previously erupted in the PFF between two factions, one led by Arshad Khan Lodhi while the other led by Hayat.
Hayat is also supported by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
“Why wouldn’t the International Football Federation accept the election? The country’s highest court is supervising the polls,” CJP Nisar remarked.
The top judge rejected Hayat’s appeal to delay the elections and directed polls to be held next month.
In April this year, FIFA had slapped a six-month ban on PFF due to”third-party interference”.
In May, the top court directed PFF to hold presidential elections which could not be conducted.
In October, the international football governing body gave Hayat a mandate till 2020 to ratify PFF Statutes and conduct the polls. Further, the national football body was also directed by FIFA to hold the elections within the specified time.
