ISLAMABAD - The Players Squash Association (PSA) is reluctant to provide Pakistan regular international squash events, instead bothering the country by giving it only high-prize events with tough conditions.
In yet another step-motherly treatment for the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), the PSA has ruled out allocating international tournaments to other major cities of Pakistan and wants the federation to conduct $70,000 event for men’s and at least $30,000 plus tournament for ladies only in Islamabad with a condition that the Players Squash Association (PSA) has to bear expenses of Players Squash Association (PSA) security advisor firm ‘Sports Risk Management’ representative.
The firm is Dubai-based and has no idea about the actual ground situation in Pakistan. The game of squash is played under highly conducive environment and Pakistan has already conducted not only cricket, hockey, Davis Cup events but also a number of international tournaments, while Islamabad has been declared as the second safest city in South Asia. Not a single even minor incident occurred in Pakistan while the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and other security agencies provided foolproof security to all the visiting teams and players. Each and every player, who visited Pakistan, was full of praise of not only excellent security arrangements, but they were also impressed with the hospitality of Pakistani people.
The Players Squash Association (PSA) has allocated the events to Egypt and other dangerous countries without any security survey, but when it comes to dealing with Pakistan, the Players Squash Association (PSA) has their own rules. Why Pakistan is always being targeted like this? Being home of squash champions and legends, Pakistan deserves better treatment from World Squash Federation (WSF) and the PSA. Pakistan armed forces have almost overcome terrorism menace and being the front line state against terrorism, Pakistan deserves better response from international community.
Conducting the international events is, in fact, helping the PSA, as if the countries stop conducting events, what will the PSA do and how would they arrange funds? They completely rely on different countries to run their show.
When this scribe contacted PSF secretary Group Captain Tahir Sultan to seek his point of view in this regard, he confirmed that the PSA has informed the federation that events are only allowed at Islamabad, which must be high-prize money events. “It is highly injustice to other cities, especially Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. We requested them to share security plan but the PSA has not replied yet. We need the PSA to help Pakistan and allow us to conduct different prize-money tournaments and that too in all major cities. How can we conduct high-prize tournament only in Islamabad. Our players need exposure and the PSA must take into consideration ground realities, rather than imposing decisions on Pakistan and we must be given our due right.”
He said they are doing their level best to provide top class security to the visiting teams. “We want to help the PSA and the WSF and we expect same in return. Being the home of champions, Pakistan is always ready to conduct any given tournament. We are conducting round the year training camps to provide our players maximum exposure. Without hosting major events in Pakistan, it’s too tough to flourish this game among youth.
We are ready to share security information and ready to take PSA representative in the city of their liking. We will provide him top class security because we want to conduct international events.
“Our legends Qamar Zaman and Jahangir Khan have time and again met with PSA representatives and assured them all-out help, but we are not getting positive response. The international tournaments in major cities will also help top class players to enjoy the hospitality and culture of Pakistan, restricting us to one city will not help the case and it will deprive masses of watching top class players to perform in front of them,” Tahir concluded.