ANISUDDIN KHAN KARACHI - Pakistan will resume its lost contact with the Federation Cup team tennis championship with the departure of a four member team of promising young girls some time on Friday to Nonthaburi Thailand to appear in the qualifying round of the Asia Oceania Group II competition starting there January 31. Pakistan's top four ladies tennis stars Ushna Sohail, Sarah Mahboob, Saba Aziz and Sara Mansoor will be playing members of the team while former Davis cupper Rashid Malik would be coach and former national champion Nousheen Ehtesham, mother of Aisamul Haq, non playing captain. The national team was training at Lahore. The nine-nation Group II Asia Oceania Competition will be played at National Tennis Centre in Nonthaburi (Thailand) from January 31 to February 5 on an outdoor hard surface with Technifbrex-one balls. The matches will be played in late morning. It would be a round robin competition with participating nations divided in two pools. At the end of the pool league winner of each pool play off to decide which two nations are promoted to Asian Oceania Zone Group I for the year 2012. The countries in the competition are: Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, and Turkmenistan. Pakistan appeared four times in the championships between 1997 to 2000 but suddenly for reasons unknown the Pakistan Tennis Federation 11 years ago dropped the idea of sending team in the regional qualifiers. Various reasons were extended for not entering the team in the championships since 2000. Among the top two arguments against sending team were lack of finances and alleged poor standard of ladies tennis in the country. However, a few close to the PTF had privately said that the PTF had to revisit its policy when the non playing captain of Pakistan team was caught shop lifting and was taken to a police station in Singapore. The news of shoplifting was prominently displayed in the city nations newspapers. Dilawar Abbas-led PTF too scared with the incident laid low and avoided entering teams though they were assured financial support if they change their mind. The name of the non-playing captain or the scandal was never released by the outgoing PTF. Former head of Pakistan Tennis Federation Dilawar Abbas, who had the discredit of discontinuing sending Pakistan to Federation Cup, also gets credit for sending the entry of Pakistan in the 2011 edition of the cup. It would not have been possible for Pakistan to appear in the cup now if the entry was sent a year ago. Entries closed about a year ago when International tennis Federation announced dates for the 2011 edition of the championship. Ms Shahida Farooq, a former national tennis player who organizes ladies tennis from the platform of Subh-e-Nau an NGO, impressed upon the former chief of the PTF not to miss the opportunity to enter the team in the current years championship and send the entry before the deadline. She also said that she could raise sponsorship for the team's tour. Ladies tennis in Pakistan in comparison to men's tennis was not strong but during the last five years, a new crop of young girls players supported by their families have emerged showing promise. Ladies tennis in Oman and Iraq, like in Pakistan, was not strong but these countries have always sent their teams to give them exposure to international competition. Pakistan team may not do well in the coming event but its appearance itself would be great boost to ladies tennis. It would inspire younger girls to do hard work and continue the flame burning that their senior had lit in Thailand. Players who have represented Pakistan so far in Fed Cup include Nosheen Ehtisham, Nida Waseem, Mahvish Chishtie, Maryum Raheem, Sara Haider and Haleema Raheem. In the present, squad are enthusiastic young players who are expected to make some impression in Thailand. They are: Ushna Suhail: She is currently number two in national ranking and has won many national titles. She has improved her game in last two years and given tough time to her teammates. She is also cousin of Aisam-ul-Haq and Samir Iftikhar. Sarah Mahboob: She has won more than 50 national titles so far and has also represented Pakistan in Beijing Olympics. She has played some tournaments abroad too. Saba Aziz: A composed and tireless player from Lahore is a regular part of Pakistan team for last few years. She is famous for her game style in tennis circuit. Sara Mansoor: She has also played for Pakistan for last few years and has won some national titles including National clay court. Scorecard