LAHORE, Jan. 20 -- The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has appointed seasoned administrator Muhammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) in order to fortify its administrative backbone and modernize the country's football landscape.

The appointment is being hailed by insiders as a landmark shift toward institutional governance. Khokhar, who formally assumed charge of PFF COO on Tuesday, is widely regarded as a pivotal figure in Pakistani football's survival and subsequent revival.

Khokhar's elevation to the role of COO is backed by a formidable track record. As a former member of the FIFA Normalization Committee, he was a central architect in navigating the federation through a tumultuous decade-long crisis. ...