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PFF hopeful for Singapore visas after NOC issuance

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13th Jul, 2023. 07:03 pm
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PFF has received a NOC for the women’s team’s friendly matches.
The team is scheduled to play against Singapore on July 15 and 18.
NOC was facilitated by Shaza Fatima, SA to PM Shehbaz Sharif.

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is optimistic about obtaining Singapore visas tomorrow, as they have received a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for the women’s team’s friendly matches.

The team is scheduled to play against Singapore on July 15 and 18. Initially, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) was unable to process the NOC due to time constraints.

However, Shaza Fatima, the special assistant to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, intervened and facilitated the PFF in obtaining the NOC from the foreign office.

“Prime Minister played an important role in getting NOC for our team,” she said.

Reports indicate that once the visas are obtained by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), they will proceed to book the most desirable flight options to Singapore.

It is important to note that the Football Association of Singapore officially confirmed the tour to the PFF on June 26th. Subsequently, on the 27th, the PFF submitted a letter requesting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the relevant authority, PSB, shortly after the Eid Holidays.

A source within the PFF expressed surprise at PSB’s expectation for the federation to submit NOC documents before the tour’s confirmation. Similarly, in previous months, the PFF had to wait until the last moment to receive NOCs for their tours to Mauritius and India.

In the meantime, PSB’s Director General, Shoaib Khoso, informed that the PFF has not been complying with the guidelines despite repeated reminders.

“There is a specific time for it. All federations have been issued SOPs and they follow a set practice. Only football is not following it. Unluckily there is no federation in football and NC is running it. It does not know the procedure,” Shoaib said.

“We have written letters four times that this is the procedure. The PSB does not issue NOC. Interior Ministry and Foreign Office issue NOC. It takes time in the Interior Ministry as it verifies through various agencies the players’ data. There is a need of four to six weeks to process the case.

“NC has inexperienced people and they don’t know how to handle such matters. The Board has processed its NOC and now it is not in our hands when it will be issued.”

PFF hopeful for Singapore visas after NOC issuance

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