Fifa, AFC stress urgent revision of PFF constitution

KARACHI: Fifa and the Asian Football Confederation have stressed the need for the Pakistan Football Federation to revise its constitution and bring it in line with international governance standards, warning that third-party interference in the federation's affairs will not be tolerated.

The message was delivered during the first day of the Governance and Statutes Revision Workshop held on Sunday, where Fifa's Head of Member Associations Governance, Rolf Tanner, and AFC Development Officer Sonam Jigmi addressed members of the PFF Congress.

The workshop forms part of efforts to update the PFF constitution, which was last comprehensively revised in 2014. While some amendments were introduced ahead of last year's PFF elections conducted under the Fifa-appointed Normalisation Committee, Fifa and AFC believe a broader review is now necessary.

Addressing the participants, Tanner emphasised the importance of good governance and highlighted the need for a clear separation of powers between the federation's legislative, executive and judicial bodies.

"The distinction of powers ensures a system of checks and balances that reduces the risk of corruption," Tanner said.

The workshop also focused on key governance principles, including avoiding conflicts of interest, promoting gender equality and ensuring competence in football administration.

Tanner described the revision of the PFF constitution as an urgent requirement set by Fifa and AFC to secure long-term stability within Pakistan football.

"Fifa and AFC had directed a revision of the PFF constitution one year after the elections and this workshop is a step towards ensuring that it happens very soon," he said.

PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani welcomed the reform process and acknowledged that constitutional changes had been delayed for too long.

"The revision of the statutes has been pending for a decade whilst other federations have moved light-years ahead, so we need to ensure it happens now," Gilani said.

Tanner also linked stronger governance with improved sporting performance, arguing that administrative stability is essential for football development.

"You are not going to progress at a sporting level with an archaic federation, so it is important because at the end of the day our motivation should be that football should be developed and played," he said.

Meanwhile, AFC's Sonam Jigmi assured participants that the constitutional review process would be transparent and based on consultation with stakeholders.

He also underlined the importance of complying with Fifa and AFC regulations, warning that member associations risk losing certain rights if they fail to meet their obligations.

"A federation that does not comply with Fifa and AFC obligations loses its rights as a member association," Jigmi said.

The workshop is expected to continue discussions on governance reforms and the framework for updating the PFF constitution in accordance with Fifa and AFC requirements.