The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the national women's football team to participate in the SAFF Championship, despite the football normalisation committee not following the required NOC procedures.
This decision was made in the broader national interest, as reported by Express news.
The national women's team is set to depart from Islamabad to Kathmandu today, with a squad comprising 24 players and 8 officials.
The SAFF Women's Football Championship will take place from October 17 to 30 in Kathmandu, where the team will face India in their opening match on October 17.
The Pakistan Sports Board has emphasised that all federations must apply for timely NOCs for overseas trips, urging them to submit profiles of all participating players and officials promptly.
This is aimed at ensuring compliance with procedural requirements.
Additionally, the PSB has mandated that a performance report must be shared following the event.
In an effort to streamline operations and improve sports management in the country, the PSB is now uploading all relevant information on its website.
Previously, the participation of the Pakistan women’s football team in the recent South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship was uncertain, as the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) had declined to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC).
The tournament was set to take place from October 17 to 30 in Nepal.
In a letter addressed to the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), the PSB pointed to delays in submitting the request and the absence of the necessary signature from the chairman of the Normalisation Committee (NC) as reasons for rejecting the NOC application.
The PSB had previously reminded the PFF on September 12 about the required protocols for obtaining the certificate.
Despite submitting the NOC request on September 16, it had been signed by NC member Shahid Khokhar instead of the chairman, Haroon Malik.
The PSB emphasised that due to these procedural omissions, they were unable to process the application.
At that time, the Pakistan women’s football team was conducting a training camp in Islamabad and was scheduled to travel to Nepal on October 12.
However, without the NOC, the team's participation in the tournament remained in doubt.
This situation mirrored previous challenges faced by Pakistan's football teams regarding NOC issues, which had created tensions between the PFF and PSB.
While there had been last-minute resolutions in the past, this particular case remained unresolved.
Pakistan's SAFF U-17 Championship Journey Concludes
Last month, Pakistan's hope for advancing in the 2024 SAFF Under-17 Championship were dashed as they faced a heartbreaking defeat against Bangladesh in the semi-finals.
The match, which took place in Thimphu, Bhutan, saw Pakistan initially take control with an impressive performance, showcasing their skill and determination on the field.
The Pakistani team opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a stunning goal from Mohammad Shahab Ahmed, followed by a penalty conversion from Abdur Rahman in the 62nd minute, putting them firmly in the driver's seat with a 2-0 lead.
However, the momentum shifted as Bangladesh fought back, displaying resilience that culminated in two late goals, one in the 74th minute and another in the 94th, bringing the match level at 2-2.
As the match proceeded to penalties, the pressure intensified. With the shootout tied at 7-7, the stakes were high, and the tension palpable.
Unfortunately for Pakistan, they missed their final attempt, handing victory to Bangladesh, who converted their last penalty, securing a place in the final against India, who had defeated Nepal in the other semi-final match.
