Last Saturday, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) headquarters was attacked in Lahore, leading the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee (NC) to be physically harmed. As a result, the ongoing Women’s Championship taking place in Karachi was cancelled by the committee. Later, FIFA warned of suspending the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) if its secretariat in Lahore was not handed back to the NC.
Following the drastic events, many football enthusiasts in Pakistan expressed their concern. Pakistani footballer Hajra Khan, who is the captain of the women’s national football team and has three Guinness World Records, took to Instagram and shared how it will harm the future of football, particularly women’s football, in Pakistan.
“Today we stand our ground, and we stand it together!” she captioned her post which included a detailed press statement.
View this post on Instagram
Yumna Zaidi took this opportunity to raise her voice for the women players. One of the subjects being discussed in her recent drama — Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahi — revolves around a similar issue where a girl child is not allowed to play cricket due to socio-cultural taboos.
“Sports are essential for a society to remain healthy and provide us with the heroes we so desperately need to look up to and represent our country. At present, the current Pakistan women’s national football team seems to be going through a host of issues and I want to appeal to whoever is listening to please help them. We need this! We need them to shine,” Yumna posted on her Instagram stories.
Following her, Mahira Khan also shared Hajra’s latest video clip on Instagram and wrote: “Respect the game!!! Respect the players!!” She also shared a press release posted by Hajra, the title of which read, “We too are responsible for upholding the integrity of the game as it is challenged by politicised governance.”
Mahira’s upcoming venture is a web series on cricket that she has produced titled Baarwan Khiladi.
In reference to the matter, Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Fehmida Mirza tweeted, “Had several meetings with the federation and NC. Even wrote to FIFA to send fact-finding mission and to hold elections as delay is badly affecting football in Pakistan #SavePakistanFootball.”
