ISLAMABAD - Shooter Mohammad Khalil Akhtar has become the first Pakistani to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It was revealed by National Rifle Associa­tion of Pakistan (NRAP) here on Monday. The 35-year-old shooter from Pakistan Army put up a splendid show in the World Shooting Cup in Brazil, finishing sixth in the Rapid Fire Pistol event. The event served as the qualifier for next year’s Olympics. “Akhtar has qualified for Olympics through the quota system. At the World Shooting Cup he edged passed World No 1, World No 4 and World No 5,” said NRAP Executive Vice President Javaid Lodhi. “So far, he is the only Pakistani to qualify for the Olympics. We are happy at his performance and now hope he would earn a medal at the global presti­gious sport’s event in Tokyo,” he added. Khalil will com­pete in 25m rapid fire pistol, which is an event involving successive rapid fire in the standing position over short periods of eight, six and four seconds. No automatic func­tion is used and all shots re­quire the trigger to be pulled manually.