Mohsen Gilani, newly-elected president of Pakistan Soccer Federation. — Reporter
KARACHI: Former Fifa Growth Officer Mohsen Gilani has been elected the seventeenth president of the Pakistan Soccer Federation (PFF) after a six-year hiatus.
Within the second spherical of elections, Gilani secured a easy majority with 13 votes, defeating his closest rival, Taha Alizai of Karachi United Soccer Membership, who obtained 11 votes.
Gilani brings intensive expertise from his tenure at Fifa, having labored on quite a few soccer growth initiatives throughout the area.
This election marks a big milestone for Pakistani soccer. For over a decade, the PFF has remained mired in controversy, inner divisions, and repeated international intervention.
The Fifa has stepped in on a number of events, appointing three separate normalization committees to deliver order to the federation. Years of instability, authorized wrangling, and administrative limbo have left Pakistani soccer languishing on the sidelines of regional and worldwide competitors.
The profitable election of a everlasting governing physique alerts a transition towards extra steady and autonomous management.
The brand new management faces appreciable challenges, together with revitalizing home soccer competitions, launching the long-delayed franchise-style league, and enhancing the efficiency of nationwide groups. This comes at a vital time, with qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 presently underway.
Earlier this month, the governing physique postponed its Government Committee elections, initially scheduled for Might 20 resulting from regional tensions and unavoidable logistical challenges.
The announcement was made through a letter from Performing Common Secretary Muhammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar to Congress members on Might 14. The letter cited escalating tensions between Pakistan and India as a significant disruption that affected the journey plans of key worldwide observers from Fifa and the Asian Soccer Confederation (AFC).
Their presence was deemed important to make sure transparency and credibility within the electoral course of. These circumstances additionally brought about logistical and administrative difficulties in organizing the PFF Extraordinary Congress.
