Mohammad Sajjad had a considerably successful year 2010. —ONLINE/File Photo
Mohammad Sajjad had a considerably successful year 2010. —ONLINE/File Photo
KARACHI: The Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) has finalised a hectic annual calendar which envisages at least 13 events — seven international and half-a-dozen domestic — as the circuit begins next month with the hosting of fourth National juniors' under-21 championship in the city.

Besides approving the calendar, the executive committee of the PBSA gave its nod to couple of other matters pertaining to promotion of the game.

The international events which Pakistan has chosen to feature include inaugural Asian 6-Red snooker championship at Chanthaburi, Thailand from Feb 13 to 19; five-nation team snooker championship at Tehran, Iran, in March; Asian under-21 snooker championship at Keish Island, Iran in April; 27th Asian snooker championship at India in May; World team-event snooker championship at Thailand in July; World under-21 snooker championship at Canada in July/Aug and IBSF World snooker championship at Bahrain in October.

The six-event domestic calendar comprised fourth National juniors' under-21 snooker championship at Karachi in Jan; 36th NJI National snooker championship at Karachi in Feb; NBP ranking snooker championship at Islamabad in April; Qualifier for IBSF World championship in Sept; Del Monte ranking snooker cup at Karachi in Nov and 6-Red snooker championship (top 16) in Dec.

The president PBSA Alamgir Shaikh told on Thursday that Asian No 2 Mohammad Sajjad and Pakistan No 1 Imran Shahzad will represent the country in the Asian 6-Red snooker contest being held in the Thai city of Chanthaburi.

He said the number of players for the 2011 national's may be enhanced from 32 to 40 depending on the budget allocation by sponsor for the event. The top 16 cueists will earn automatic entry in the counrsy's premier snooker championship while the rest will come through the provincial qualifiers, he added.

He disclosed that the members agreed to a proposal to slightly raise monthly honorarium of the top eight players' w.e.f. January 2011.

The PBSA chief said he briefed the house about his meeting with Chinese sponsors of snooker tables on the sidelines of World snooker championship in Damascus. “They have agreed to provide four tables free of cost to PBSA as a gesture of goodwill,” he said.

He said it was agreed that PBSA will approach the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) for affiliation.

He also presented his report on the Guangzhou Asian Games and world snooker championship besides informing the members about proposed bilateral series with Iran.

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