KARACHI, Feb 28: With the issue of granting No Objection Certificate (NOC) to India by Pakistan’s Interior Ministry still lingering on, invitation was extended to Bahrain raising the strength of nations to seven for Jubilee Insurance International Snooker Championship to be held at Hotel Pearl Continental from March 4 to 9.

“Yes, Bahrain has confirmed their participation and will be represented by Habib Sabah and Hussain Mahmood,” president of the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA), Alamgir Shaikh told newsmen at a press conference on Tuesday.

Directors of Jubilee Insurance, Tahir Ahmed and Javed Ahmed, secretary PBSA, Munawwar Hussain Shaikh, and members of Pakistan snooker team were also present on the occasion.

Unveiling developments relating to the event, he sounded confident that the two Indian cueists, Yasin Merchant and Mohammad Faisal Khan, may get visas hopefully by Wednesday so that they can take the flight the following day.

Quoting reliable sources, he said, the interior ministry has send a fax to Pakistan High Commission in Delhi which is expected to issue visas to Indian cueists on Wednesday.

In case of delay, the Indians have also booked their seats in Air Lanka flight on March 3, he added.

Egypt, Iran, Thailand, UAE and the hosts Pakistan are the other five nations besides India and Bahrain that will vie for honours in the mega event.

He said the PBSA has added two more players — Vishan Gir and Sharjeel Mehmood — to the list of six that were already announced.

To a question, he said the estimated cost of the event is Rs3.2 million which envisaged total prize money of 3,100 US Dollars, accommodation in the PC, return air ticket and local hospitality. Pakistani players will also stay with foreigners in the same hotel, he added.

To another query about security, the PBSA official said he had informed the home department for making security arrangements of foreign players and officials who will be coming here for the event.

The sponsors said they have dreamt of sponsoring an international snooker event which is about to come true.

They said Jubilee Insurance and snooker have become synonymous and assured their association will go a long way in the days to come.