Pakistan’s representation on the FIFA referees panel is already limited, and any chances of increasing that number have been curtailed by the country’s own Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), after two hopeful Pakistani officials were stopped from leaving the country to take part in an international course.
According to journalist Faizan Lakhani, two national referees — Azam Ali and Umer Shams — were stopped by immigration officials at Lahore Airport while en route to Malaysia for an AFC refereeing course. Sources indicate that both officials were denied boarding due to the absence of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), which has recently instructed the FIA not to allow any athlete or official to travel abroad without formal clearance.
The incident occurred despite both referees having been officially invited by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to attend the high-level training program — a crucial step in their journey toward potential inclusion in the FIFA referees panel.
Missing this course now means their promotion to the international refereeing list will be delayed, dealing a setback not just to their personal careers but also to Pakistan’s already struggling football ecosystem.
The PSB had previously warned all associated federations and their members to follow established protocols for obtaining clearance for any activities outside the country. This issue has even led to the dismissal of renowned federation presidents and looks likely to cause continued friction.
Regardless, this latest episode once again highlights the bureaucratic bottlenecks and governance challenges that continue to hinder sports development in Pakistan.
Pakistani referees missing the chance to become part of FIFA’s panel raises pressing questions about whether administrative policies are helping or hindering progress on the international stage.
