KARACHI Six visiting international boxers from Central African Republic and three from Cameroon embraced Islam after reciting Kalama Tayyaba at a simple ceremony organised here Tuesday noon at a local hotel where the boxers were staying. Mufti Muhammad Naeem of Jamia Binnoria led the ceremony attended by the president of the Pakistan Boxing Federation Doda Khan Bhutto, Secretary Muhammad Akram Khan and vice president Iqbal Hussain and other officials. The boxers are in town in connection with the ongoing Shaheed Benazir Bhutto international boxing and were attired In reply to Shalwar Kameez and wearing a white round cap provided by the PBF during the ceremony. Mufti Muhammad Naeem first asked them to recite third Kalma and later made them recite Kalma-e-Tayyaba. The boxers recited slowly the two Kalamas and as soon as they recitation was over, Mufti declared them as Muslim. The boxers were garlanded and given sweets. An official of the PBF on query informed that the manager of the CAF team Muhammad Kalambuye, himself a Muslim told the PBF officials after the boxers showed interest in converting to Islam that the six were already inspired by Islam and they on their own decided to embrace Islam here. They were overwhelmed with the friendly and brotherly feelings shown to them by their Pakistani hosts. The six boxers from Central African Republic were already inspired by Islam in their own country. But when they arrived here they were impressed by those Pakistanis who were helping them after their arrival at the airport. It was at the airport they were overwhelmed by the goodwill of the Pakistanis who helped them when the immigration authorities detained some of the boxers who had landed here without visa. The officials of the PBF contacted concerned authorities and requested them that the entire team that had landed here should be allowed to enter. The CAF team was thankful to the authorities and the PBF, he said. The three boxers of Cameroon who are also here to play in the international event decided on their own to embrace Islam, he said. Doda Khan Bhuto, the president of the PBF who also attended the ceremony later announced that all the nine boxers would be invited to stay on in Karachi for a fortnight after the completion of the international boxing. During that period these boxers would be invited to attend the national boxing camp and help Pakistani boxers in their training. The nine during their stay here would also be taught the basics of Islam and given religious training, he added. The nine were later given Muslim names. These boxers with their Muslim names are: Central African Republic. Yagor Gbodo (Muhammad Akarm) Sele Bange (Iqbal Hussain) Niam Bongui (Obaidur Rehman) N Goko (Muhammad Ali) Ndarash (Ali Akber) Bongola (Taimur Hussain) Cameroon : Maendoua Blas (Muhammad Yasir). Kedchemi Justine (Muhammad Rashid). Tchwem Justin (Muhammad Ahmed)