PFF, players donate SAFF prize money to CJP's dam fund

Cheque of Rs1.2 million handed over to Mian Saqib Nisar during meeting

LAHORE: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) vice-president Naveed Haider and the players who participated in the recently concluded SAFF championship met Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and donated the winning prize money to the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dam fund.

A spokesperson of the Supreme Court further revealed that the national football team presented a cheque of Rs1.2 million to the CJP.

The CJP, Nisar, thanked the team for their donation.

The move holds significance as the PFF has been suffering from financial problems and infighting for a long period now.

The country was suspended by FIFA last year too, but reinstated in March this year after the federation assured them of zero political involvement in the PFF.

The SAFF championship was Pakistan's first major outing in the last three years.

The team lost 3-0 to India in the semi-finals but their arrival into the match was considered meteoric since they hadn't played together for a considerably long time.

Meanwhile, the team was also playing without former captain Kaleemullah who was announced 'injured' by the PFF before the tournament, however, he was simultaneously signing a contract with a Turkish club.

Kaleemullah recently also came out all guns blazing against the PFF after the federation sent him a show-cause notice for speaking against their policies.

In the letter PFF contradicted itself by calling the Chaman-born an 'ex-player', which pushes him out of federation's jurisdiction.