India given clearance for snooker events

Team expected to arrive in Karachi on Aug 16 for Asian championships.

KARACHI: India were given last-minute clearance by Pakistan’s interior ministry to allow their participation at the Asian Snooker 6-Red and Team Championships scheduled to begin August 17 in Karachi.

Till Wednesday evening, the Indians had not been provided with a No-Objection Certificate as the ministry had been busy and the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) President Alamgir Sheikh went onto say that India’s participation was 99% unlikely.

However, the official had added that even if the tourists were to come on the opening day, the organisers would still try to accommodate them.

Fortunately, the association was informed late Wednesday that India’s participation had been cleared.

“We’re really pleased that the Indian players will be coming to Pakistan because it’s important to get your neighbours in,” Sheikh told The Express Tribune.

“The relations between the two countries should remain on good terms and sports plays an important role in bringing people together. I’m really thankful to the government and interior ministry for issuing the clearance on such short notice.”

The official added that the Indian team will is expected to arrive on August 16, while Bahrain and Hong Kong will be the first teams to arrive in the early hours of the same date.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2014.

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