The participation of the Pakistan women’s football team in the upcoming South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship is in jeopardy after the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) denied the issuance of a no-objection certificate (NOC). The tournament is set to take place from October 17 to 30 in Nepal.
In a letter addressed to the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), the PSB cited the delays in the formal request submission and the absence of the required signature from the chairman of the Normalisation Committee (NC) as the primary reasons for the denial. The PSB had previously reminded the PFF about the necessary protocols for obtaining the NOC on September 12, but the federation failed to comply adequately.
The PSB’s letter stated, “Since the instructions issued by the PSB have not been followed, we regret to inform you that, due to time constraints and non-compliance with our procedural requirements, the PSB is unable to process the NOC request for participation in this event.”
Sources within the PFF confirmed that the NOC request for the SAFF Women’s Championship was submitted on September 16. However, the submission was signed by NC member Shahid Khokhar rather than the NC chairman Haroon Malik, which further complicated the matter.
Currently, the Pakistan women’s football team is training in Islamabad and is scheduled to depart for Nepal on October 12. However, the absence of the NOC creates uncertainty regarding the team’s participation in the championship.
This is not the first time that Pakistan’s football teams have faced challenges related to NOC issuance. Past instances have often resulted in tensions between the PFF and PSB. Although last-minute resolutions have been achieved before, the current situation remains unresolved, putting the team’s participation in the tournament at significant risk.
The SAFF Women’s Championship is an important tournament for the Pakistan women’s football team, as it not only provides competitive exposure but also serves as a platform to showcase their skills and progress in the sport. The ongoing issues surrounding the NOC have cast a shadow over their preparations and aspirations for success in the championship.
