By Eman Alam
ISLAMABAD: Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthen football governance and to ensure the effective functioning of the Pakistan Football Federation in line with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA standards.
He was talking to a delegation of the AFC, led by its President, Senior Vice President of FIFA and a senior member of the Royal Family of Bahrain Shaikh Salman Ebrahim Hamid Al Khalifa, which called on him at President House.
The delegation included Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John, General Secretary of the AFC and Syed Mohsen Gilani, President of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).
The acting president emphasised the importance of expanding youth engagement, noting that with youth forming the majority of Pakistan’s population, it is vital to plan and promote sports activities. He added that upgrading football infrastructure and establishing youth academies across Pakistan were areas where support from the AFC would be invaluable.
He appreciated the AFC’s continued support for the revival of football in Pakistan and underscored the need to revitalise domestic competitions and create greater opportunities for Pakistani players to compete at regional and international levels.
Mr Gilani thanked Shaikh Salman Ebrahim Hamid Al Khalifa and the AFC delegation for their sustained engagement and reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to work closely with the AFC to promote football and strengthen people-to-people ties through sports.
