‘Govt has no time for snooker’

Imported tables lying unused, call for academy unheeded, claims association.

KARACHI: Pakistan Snooker and Billiards Association’s (PBSA) request to establish an academy in Karachi has fallen on deaf ears in the Sindh sports ministry.

The PBSA, in an attempt to improve training facilities for the players, had imported four snooker tables from China and got assurance from the ministry that they will be accommodated at the KMC Sports Complex.

However, PBSA President Alamgir Sheikh said the sports ministry’s indifferent attitude has disheartened the association.

“We wanted to use the top-class tables for training players but the sports ministry is not taking the matter seriously,” Sheikh told The Express Tribune. “Those tables are still lying in a warehouse.

“We got them in October and remained in contact with the authorities. But they are yet to give a positive response. It’s depressing that the government is not ready to promote the sport in the country. Snooker is a medal-winning sport but unfortunately the people who claim to support it are not doing enough.”

Sheikh added that it was a waste of resources since the cueists could train on the imported tables instead of the old ones at the Pakistan Sports Board coaching centre in Islamabad. “It would help them prepare better for international tournaments.”

Sheikh added that an academy was also intended to be established in Punjab since 11 out of the country’s top 20 cueists belonged to the province but this request has met the same fate as the other.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Director of Sports Zulfiqar Ali Shalwani said he was unaware of the PBSA’s requests and it was up to the sports minister Mohammad Ali Shah and Secretary Shoaib Siddiqi to resolve the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2011.