Following the ban imposed on Zahir Shah by the Disciplinary Committee of the Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) Normalisation Committee (NC), the race for the presidency has officially become a three-way contest.

As the deadline for submission of nomination papers expired at midnight on April 16, three candidates have stepped forward: Barrister Taha Alizai (backed by the Zahir Shah Group), Hafiz Zakaullah (from Punjab with support from Congress members in Sindh), and Mohsin Gilani (reportedly backed by segments of a key government institution).

The final two days leading up to the deadline were filled with uncertainty, particularly among departments that hold voting power within the PFF Congress. Multiple departments hesitated to confirm their support, and several even reversed their positions under alleged external pressure.

According to PFF election rules, a candidate must have the backing of at least five Congress members to be eligible. Of the three, Hafiz Zakaullah is the only one without any departmental support, with all five of his backers coming solely from within the football community.

Meanwhile, one of the new candidates—believed to be Mohsin Gilani—is reportedly leveraging influence and seeking active support from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to sway departmental votes in his favour.

In addition to the presidential vote, the May 20 elections will also decide key positions, including three Vice Presidents, eight Executive Committee members (two from each province), and three members representing government-affiliated organisations.