KARACHI, Jan 14: The Karachi Table Tennis Association (KTTA) has embarked upon an elaborate programme which envisages mobilisation of activities in every nook and corner of the province.

Aimed at scouting talented youth including girls and to arrest the decline, the programme gets into action with a fortnight coaching camp at the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Coaching Centre from Thursday.

The details of the back-to-back events were spelt out before newsmen at a press conference which was held at the PSB Coaching centre on Wednesday.

The most significant thing is that it is being held in collaboration with the Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF), the ministry of sports, Sindh, the education department and the PSB.

Unfolding details, secretary of the KTTA, Shaukat Omari, said the camp will be followed by Inter-school tournament with participation of players from both public and private educational institutions of the city.

Inter-town will be the third event in line to be followed by Sindh Inter-district, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, the Sindh Sports Minister Dr Mohammad Ali Shah announced to lend financial support of half-a-million rupees from his ministry’s meagre annual budget.

Eulogising the efforts, president of the PTTF S. M. Sibtain offered to donate a table apiece to every district of the province to motivate the youngsters to pick up the ping pong.

Continuing, he said, Karachi will play host to the national seniors as well as juniors championships this year. According to him, the 47th National Table Tennis Championship will be staged in December while the 16th National Juniors Table Tennis championship will take place in June.

He disclosed that the first PTTF Masters Cup of the year will be held at Faisalabad from Feb 9 to 13 while the second will be held at Lahore in March.

Chairman KTTA Dr Farhan Essa and secretary sports Sindh Shoaib Siddiqui also spoke on the occasion.