A staggering majority of FIFA members on Thursday have voted to allow its Council to lift the ban on Pakistan once the country fulfills all its requirements.
A total of 195 members voted in favor to lift the ban while four members voted against.
The voting was held during FIFA Congress at the Doha Exhibition and Cultural Centre. The global football body will also hold draws for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.
FIFA’s all-powerful Council in April last year suspended Pakistan after the Pakistan Football Federation’s Normalization Committee (NC) was removed from office by officials led by Ashfaq Hussain Shah. Shah was elected as president in PFF’s election held by the Supreme Court in December 2018.
FIFA did not accept the election as legitimate and in September 2019, the global football body directed the NC for the PFF to hold fresh elections.
FIFA’s Congress termed Ashfaq and his group of officials as “protestors” on Thursday. The congress session held last year ratified Pakistan’s ban.
Earlier last month, the PFF NC regained control of the headquarters in Lahore as the government made the decision to support it in its attempt to lift the suspension on Pakistan.
