Frozen accounts : Football federation goes to court against FIA

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday directed the deputy attorney general (DAG) to submit a reply on the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) decision to freeze Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) accounts.

Justice Aamer Farooq directed DAG Syed Husnain Ibrahim Kazmi to obtain a reply from the interior ministry and FIA officials and submit it on July 16 (today).

The petitioners –PFF President Faisal Saleh Hayat and General Secretary Col (retd) Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi – have named the interior secretary, FIA Islamabad director general, and FIA Commercial Banking Circle Lahore SHO Rab Nawaz Sial as respondents.

The petitioners, through their counsel Afzal Khan Jadoon, said PFF is a private entity and the interior ministry has no administrative authority over it. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the inquiry initiated by the DG and the FIA SHO is without authority as the petitioners are private persons.

It was further contended that no reason has been provided for the initiation of the inquiry, and that the accounts were frozen without prior notice. Lodhi said PFF maintains several bank accounts in its name and receives funding from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). Other income sources include sponsorship deals, he added.

The petitioner prayed that the inquiry be declared to lack lawful authority and of no legal effect, while additionally requesting that it be quashed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2015.