FIFA, world football's governing body, on Wednesday suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) citing third-party intervention, reported Dawn. The move came after a group of people forcibly removed the normalization committee, appointed by FIFA in the PFF. 

In September 2019, following controversial elections in the PFF, FIFA appointed a normalization committee headed by Haroon Malik. 

On Wednesday, FIFA released a statement, saying, “This situation was prompted by the recent hostile takeover of the PFF headquarters in Lahore by a group of protestors and an alleged decision by certain individuals to remove the FIFA-appointed normalization committee of the PFF led by Haroon Malik and to hand over the leadership of the PFF to Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah.”

Earlier also, FIFA warned against the hostile takeover of the PFF. It asked that the control of the federation must be given back to the normalization committee. However, the group, led by Syed Ashfaq Hussain did not give two hoots to the warning. 

Now, the global body said that the ban would remain in place until it receives confirmation from the normalization committee that its premises, accounts, communication channels are again under its full control. 

Pakistan's football body has long been marred by controversies. And with this current ban, its future looks bleak.