ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has secured a rare presence in global football governance after FIFA appointed Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Syeda Amina Batool to its Institutional Reforms Committee, marking a significant moment for the country’s sports diplomacy and reform agenda.
Batool is currently the only Pakistani serving on any FIFA committee, a development that officials and analysts view as a sign of renewed international confidence in Pakistan’s efforts to stabilise and reform its football institutions. FIFA’s Institutional Reforms Committee plays a key role in shaping governance standards, transparency mechanisms, and structural reforms within the sport worldwide.
The appointment comes as Pakistan seeks to move past years of turmoil in football administration, during which the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) faced international sanctions and suspensions over governance disputes and political interference. FIFA’s decision is being widely interpreted as recognition of recent steps aimed at restoring autonomy, transparency and merit-based management in Pakistani football.
Government officials say the move reflects sustained engagement by Islamabad with international football bodies.
Over the past six months, PFF President Syed Mohsin Gilani has stepped up efforts to rebuild ties with FIFA and regional bodies, seeking to normalise Pakistan’s standing after years of administrative paralysis.
