Snooker awaits recognition from PM

IPC unable to release full cash awards for cueists without premier’s consent

KARACHI: While the Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Sports Ministry is doing everything it can to accommodate snooker — currently one of Pakistan’s best-performing sports — recognition from Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif is still awaited.

As per the National Sports Policy, the IPC recently released cash awards of Rs2.5 million and Rs1 million for Muhammad Sajjad and Muhammad Asif respectively for their feats in Asian and world championships, and it finally seemed that the players will get their full remuneration in instalments.

However, it has been learnt that the IPC does not have more funds for the two players and that only the PM can help in this regards by ordering the release of funds through the finance ministry.

According to Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) President Alamgir Sheikh, both Asif and Sajjad still needed to be given Rs20 million each for bringing in medals, while Hamza Akbar should also be given Rs5 million for becoming the Asian champion.

It should be mentioned here that Asif won the 2012 IBSF World Championship, the 2013 Asian 6-Red Championship and the 2013 IBSF World Team Championship along with Sajjad, who also finished as the runner-up in the 2014 IBSF World Championship.

“The IPC has done everything it can for snooker, but the matter is now out of their hands as they can’t give the remaining cash awards to our players unless PM Nawaz Sharif intervenes,” Sheikh told The Express Tribune.

The official praised the sports ministry’s efforts to give the cueists their due. “I hope the PM will look into the case because snooker is currently the only game which is bringing laurels for Pakistan since the last three years.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th,  2015.

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