KARACHI: Pakistan look determined to break new grounds when it goes ahead with its programme of staging the second Asian Team Event and third 6-Reds Snooker Championships which cues of at Avari Towers on Sunday.

The event carries a total purse of US$14,250 with winner getting US$6,750 and runner-up to receive US$4,500. The third placed player will earn US$2,250 while highest break performer fetch US$750. In addition, all the top three position holders will be awarded gold, silver and bronze medals and trophies.

“By now 14 foreign countries have confirmed their participation in the week-long spectacle but participation of Indian cueists is in jeopardy due to delay in granting no-objection-certificate by the ministry of interior in Islamabad,” Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) president Alamgir Shaikh told reporters at a press conference held at the venue on Wednesday.

The PBSF president said: “We have extended invitations to all 35-member countries of the Asian Confederation of Billiards Sports (ACBS) and 15 including the hosts have confirmed their participation.”

The countries who have confirmed their participation are Afghanistan, Bahrain, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, UAE and Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Asif will defend his crown in the 6-Reds event. India are the defending champions in the team event.

Alamgir said he had already received arrival schedule of 10 foreign teams besides dignitaries and other officials despite security concerns shown by some foreign teams.

Joseph Lo, treasurer of the ACBS who is also chief referee, will be the first to arrive here from Hong Kong on Thursday. The teams start arriving from Friday.

The official said he had personally visited Islamabad to pursue the NOC for Indian participation and added that the file was lying with the interior secretary who is pre-occupied.

He lamented the apathy of government towards the cueists by not rewarding them promised rewards and at the same time took hardly three to four days to acknowledge the feats of athletes at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. He advised the concerned people not to do such discrimination.

At the outset, he expressed optimism that the cueists will present an Independence Day gift to the nation by winning laurels at the event.

Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, who graced the occasion, said PBSF has provided a forum to cueists across the country including remote areas to prove their mettle.

He also assured full support to the organisers on behalf of Karachi administration.

Squash legend Jahangir Khan, who was specially invited to motivate the players, said sportsmen are an asset of the nation who play the role of ambassadors and foster relations between the participating countries.

He called upon the government to give timely incentives to the players who win laurels in order to keep their interest alive.

He advised the government to see how heroes were being treated by their nations abroad.

Citing the example of late retired Air Marshal Nur Khan, he said he was a man of commitment and had always admired sportsmen who in turn delivered the goods.

Tahir Ahmed and Jawaid Ahmed of Jubilee Insurance said hosting of another international event in the city is like a dream come true.

Members of Pakistan snooker team attired in green blazers, were also present in the press conference which was attended among others by PBSF secretary Munawwar Hussain Shaikh and vice-president Jawaid Karim besides managing committee members.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2014