ISLAMABAD          -          After a long gap, the World Squash Federation (WSF) has finally considered Pakistan for hosting the international event and sent a bid form to the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) for World Junior Squash Championship in 2022.

The sources confirmed to The Nation that the WSF had total of 152 members, who were getting bid forms for events on regular basis, but only Pakistan was deprived of even bid forms in the name of so-called security issues. It is highly surprising that Egypt and other countries, who are facing huge unrest, have no issues in getting and hosting the PSA events, but the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and the WSF don’t waste any opportunity to punish Pakistan, who are the home of champions.

The PSA earns huge amount of money in the name of tournament fee, then on what grounds and reasons, they want extra $5,000 from Pakistan for each PSA tournament. Such blackmailing will only hurt Pakistan squash and its players, who are already struggling after changes in the PSA rules, as qualifying round matches were abolished from the PSA tournaments. Due to their low PSA rankings, Pakistani players can’t get direct berths in major as well as small tournaments. Instead of helping Pakistan squash and especially players, the PSA always tries to deprive Pakistani players of their due right.

All the international players, who had travelled to Pakistan, were always full of praise for the hospitality of Pakistani people. They always speak so highly about PSF for getting wonderful treatment from the hosts. They have made many friends in Pakistan, but the PSA, it seems, doesn’t want squash to flourish in this part of the world.

It is the right for Pakistan to host major PSA tournaments, just like in the past, when it used to be hosted the world open and biggest prize money Pakistan Open. With the active sacrifices of armed forces of Pakistan, complete peace has returned to the country while Sri Lankan team has recently visited Pakistan, international badminton tournament was successfully held in Islamabad, Davis Cup matches were also held here.

The PSA and the WSF must understand that squash is an indoor game and Mushaf Squash Complex is right in the heart of Islamabad, where not even flies can dare to enter the courts while not a single minor untoward incident had occurred in Islamabad, which is declared as the second safest city in South Asia.

It is good news that finally the WSF has sent bid form to the PSF and it is hoped that it would not be a formality only and Pakistan would be allowed to host World Junior Championship, and also senior championships along with major PSA tournaments. The PSA must allow the PSF to host tournaments in cities like Peshawar, which is the hub of squash in Pakistan, which had produced world champions like Qamar Zaman, Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan and many more top players, including the great Hashim Khan, Roshan Khan, while Lahore must also be given PSA tournaments, as without spreading tournaments to other major cities, squash won’t flourish.  On this, PSF Secretary Group Captain Tahir Sultan said: “We are ready to help the WSF and the PSA in hosting the high prize tournaments. I invite top brass of both world bodies to come and be our guests in this month’s PSA tournaments and witness the wonderful environment and beauty of this country. When they will witness the event here, their perception will change and they will understand our point.”