Afghan female footballers accommodated in FIFA House.

LAHORE -- A group of Afghan female football players of different age groups arrived in the provincial metropolis here on Wednesday and was accommodated by Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) at the FIFA House.

The female footballers reached Pakistan through Torkham Border. Around 115 Afghan football players and their families have been granted Pakistani visas and so far, 81 out of them have reached Pakistan and were given boarding and lodging facilities at FIFA House. They are in Pakistan on 30 days visa and in the meanwhile, they will be leaving for Qatar, which also have granted them visas.

Talking to The Nation, Sardar Naveed Haider Khan, Pakistan head of international NGO: Football for Peace: and also the PFF spokesman, said that they have arranged accommodation and allied facilities for the group in the FIFA House, which is the ideal place for them as a modern football facility. He said the Under-14, Under-16, Under-18 and Under-19 female players were delighted to be in FIFA House and they expressed their gratitude for lodging them. 'The female footballers are keen and ready to play, if given a chance against local outfits,' he added.

Sardar Naveed said due to some unavoidable circumstances, the group could not leave for Qatar. 'After that, these players and their families requested the NGO - Football for Peace - which contacted me to arrange their visas for Pakistan. I informed them about the entire procedure through a proper channel, and they did so and contacted Prime Minister of...