KARACHI: The Indian High Commission in Islamabad has finally issued visas to the nine-member Pakistani contingent for participation in the World Junior Squash Championship to be held in Chennai from July 17 to 29.
The World Junior event is scheduled to be held in Chennai from 18th of this month and Pakistan is the defending champions, having won the title in 2016 in Poland.
Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) Game Development Officer, Flight Lieutenant Aamir Iqbal, said the Pakistan team would leave for India on July 13.
The Pakistani contingent includes 6 players and 3 officials.
Pakistan Squash Federation secretary Tahir Sultan said the visa for the last player in the contingent had been issued on Thursday.
He said the World Squash Federation (WSF) has played a very important role in issuance of visas to Pakistani players for the event.
It is worth noting that initially, the Indian High Commission had returned the passports of the players and officials of PSF without granting them visa.
Sultan claimed that it was after the PSF approached the WSF and Asian Squash Federation and asked them to cancel the event in India that the matter was resolved.
“We thank the World and Asian bodies for taking up our case and getting the Indian squash body to convince their government to issue us visas in a change of heart,” PTI quotes him as having said.
Sultan said that the World Junior Championship is an international event of the WSF and it has been given to India to host and there was no justification for keeping Pakistan team out of it.
“We had asked the concerned bodies and affiliated members to intervene and ensure we get the Indian visas or else the World Championship should not be held in India,” PTI further quotes him as stating.
