FIFA suspends Pakistan Football Federation 

FIFA suspended the Pakistan Football Federation on Thursday after the recently elected PFF Congress rejected the constitutional amendments proposed by the global football body.

"The PFF has been suspended with immediate effect due to its failure to adopt a revision of the PFF Constitution that would ensure truly fair and democratic elections and thereby fulfil its obligations as mandated by FIFA as part of the ongoing normalisation process of PFF," FIFA said in a statement.

"The suspension will only be lifted subject to the PFF Congress approving the version of the PFF Constitution presented by FIFA and the AFC."

FIFA and the AFC recommended that the PFF bring amendments to its existing constitution. The proposed amendments were to be brought in clauses related to electoral process. However, the elected congress of PFF had rejected those amendments.

The suspension means that Pakistan's teams are barred from participating in international competitions until the issue is resolved and the PFF will not receive any assistance from the FIFA.

PFF Normalisation Committee, Chairman Haroon Malik said there is a deadlock between world football's governing body and Pakistan football's newly-elected congress, for which the international football association may "conditionally" suspend Pakistan.

"FIFA wants to make some amendments to the PFF Constitution to bring it in line with international standards. In the recent efforts, the majority of the newly-elected PFF Congress members have not agreed to FIFA's proposals," Malik said. 

Malik also highlighted the fact that for the first time, Pakistan participated in the Olympic qualifiers and advanced to the second round.

This is PFF's third suspension since 2017.