KARACHI, Aug 31: The president of Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA), Alamgir Shaikh, has demanded of the government to support the baize game which has a bright future ahead.

“Look at our track record which speaks high of our achievements globally,” he told a high-powered National Assembly Standing Committee for Sports that summoned him in the parliament house on Monday.

Chaired by Iqbal Mohammad Ali Khan, the meeting was attended among others by members of the committee, secretary sports and director general of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).

The PBSA official claimed snooker was No 1 sport of the country and spelt out laurels the nation had won in the game. “We have world, Asian championship, Asian Games and couple of other international titles in our kitty,” he remarked.

He disclosed that according to latest ranking, Pakistan was ranked sixth in the world.

He said the quantum of international events has increased manifold during the last few years. “From two events in the past, we have now six competitions in a year which has drastically increased our expenses,” he added.

Referring to the budget, he said PBSA's proposed requirement comes to the tune of Rs8.7 million annually adding that he was finding it difficult to run the affairs with lack of patronage from the government.

Continuing, he said, PBSA has a chequered history and it never looked to the government until 2003 when its long-term sponsorship with a tobacco firm ceased to exist.

Alamgir revealed that despite the drawback, PBSA kept the ball rolling with the meagre resources and through some local sponsors. “We offered central contracts to top eight players of the circuit costing us an additional burden of Rs540,000 in a calendar year,” he added.

He expressed regret that despite assurances PBSA has failed to get possession of academies in Karachi and Lahore.

About the hiring of an Indian coach Sanjay Sawanth for a short stint, the PBSA chief briefed the committee that he was economical and would cost RS1.5 million.

At the outset, Alamgir gave a resume of the PBSA and urged upon the chairman to set performance-based criteria for disbursing grant to the national sports federations.

According to him, the chairman gave a patience hearing and assured that justice would be done to the game.

He directed the secretary sports to order early release of adequate funds in preparation for Asian Games and other international assignments.