Faisal Saleh Hayat

Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat (; born 21 July 1952) is a Pakistani politician from Jhang, Punjab and sports administrator.

Early life and education Born into a feudal Shi'a family, Hayat is the alleged Sajjada Nashin (lineal descendant and successor) of Pir Shah Jewna, a famous 16th century Sufi saint whose shrine in Jhang District, Punjab, Pakistan, is revered by millions. This spiritual title apart from land he owned was crucial for him to initially draw his wealth and political power.

He was introduced to politics by his maternal uncle Khalid Ahmed Kharal, a bureaucrat who worked with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, while his other relatives who have been active in politics include Abida Hussain and Syed Zulfiqar Bokhari.

Hayat did his early education from FC College University, Lahore, and later earned a master's degree in law and a diploma in business administration from King's College London.

Political career Hayat was elected as Member of National Assembly of Pakistan for the terms of 1977–77, 1988–1990, 1990–1993, 1993–1996, 2002–2007 and 2008–2012.

Administration career

Football Hayat is a former President of the Pakistan Football Federation and had been in helm of the office for nearly two decades, from 2003 till 2017. He has been described as a "feudal lord of Pakistani football" due to his controversial tenure, incompetence and fund embezzlement.

Despite having no real connection to the sport, Hayat first assumed control in 2003. Deeply embedded in Pakistan’s political elite, Hayat used his influence and connections with the new military dictatorship in power, who he jumped ship to after abandoning his own party.

Under Hayat’s leadership in the ensuing years, Pakistan's football rankings continued to nosedive, from 168th in 2003 to 201st in 2017. Despite millions of dollars in funding from FIFA and the AFC, intended to develop the sport in Pakistan, very little progress was made. Projects promised under FIFA’s Goal Project initiative mostly remained unfulfilled, with only one of the planned eight facilities being constructed. Hayat, however, thrived personally, securing influential positions within the AFC and FIFA, and forging close ties with powerful Gulf leaders. These relationships benefited him greatly, with the AFC covering his legal expenses and funnelling substantial funds into projects that never materialized.

Hayat's unpopularity grew even within his former allies, particularly after a controversial PFF election in 2015, which at one point Hayat held in his own home. The fallout from these polls led to remade loyalties within the PFF as well as several lawsuits. After two years of inaction, FIFA intervened and placed a six-month suspension on the federation in 2017. After two controversial years, a new set of elections under the Supreme Court of Pakistan made Ashfaq Hussain Shah the new president, ending Hayat's long lasting tenure. This caused a serious breakdown as Hayat refused to accept the results. Eventually, FIFA stepped in again in 2019 to appoint a normalisation committee.