KARACHI: The Pakistani government has asked provincial authorities in Punjab to return the national football headquarters to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association’s (FIFA) Normalization Committee (NC), a Pakistani minister said on Saturday, hoping for the Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) suspension to end soon. 
FIFA, the football governing body, suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) in April 2021 after a “hostile takeover” of the national football headquarters, FIFA Football House, in Lahore from its NC. 
A month later, the FIFA Congress Pakistan rectified the ban, which was widely seen as a blow to the game in Pakistan and prompted officials to strive for its lifting. 
“Ministry of IPC (inter-provincial coordination) has written a letter to the Punjab government to return FIFA House to FIFA-appointed NC,” Dr. Fehmida Mirza, the Pakistani inter-provincial coordination minister, said in a Twitter post. 
“Government hopes that FIFA suspension will be lifted and to see elections being held in a transparent manner.” 

The issue rose in March 2021 after a group led by Ashfaq Hussain Shah, a football official elected as the PFF president in the 2018 elections sanctioned by the Pakistani apex court but not recognized by FIFA, forcibly took over the headquarters from Haroon Malik-led NC. 
The takeover, which was seen as a serious violation of statutes, led to the suspension of Pakistan’s membership. On December 31, FIFA extended the mandate of the NC till June 30, 2022. 
Pakistan Sports Board chief Asif Zaman told Arab News the letter written to the Punjab government was “in line with the roadmap given by FIFA.” 
“Handing over of FIFA House to the FIFA-appointed NC is one of the requirements which the government is going to fulfil,” he said. 
Zaman said every club would to have register itself with the FIFA-appointed NC for fair and transparent elections. “We are hopeful that the ban will be lifted soon,” he said, adding, “The government will implement FIFA’s roadmap within six to eight months.”  
On Thursday, English football legend Michael Owen said the FIFA ban would not prevent the sport from becoming popular in the South Asian nation, but hoped Pakistani officials would sort things out with the football governing body. 
“It would be nice if, obviously, Pakistan, the Football Association or the government and all the dignitaries could sort things out with FIFA that would be amazing,” Owen said in an exclusive interview with Arab News. 

The legendary Liverpool striker arrived in Pakistan this week to hunt new talent.