ISLAMABAD-Waqar Mehboob Saturday came down hard on Indian Squash Federation and Indian Government for depriving him and other colleagues from participating in the 19th Asian Senior Individual Squash Championship 2017, which is set to start in Chennai, India from 26th to 30th of this month.

Hel also demanded the squash governing body to strip of India from hosting the event.

Talking to The Nation, a highly dejected Waqar, who topped the trials conducted for selection of remaining two players by the Pakistan Squash Federation, said it is responsibility of World Squash Federation and Asian Squash Federation to ensure Pakistani players must be provided Indian visas so they could take part in the mega event.

“I had trained very hard and was fully prepared mentally and physically after regaining full fitness. Why the WSF and the ASF is keeping mum on such a huge injustice and on what grounds and reasons firstly a country like India was awarded the rights to conduct the championship as they had recently refused visas to our kabbadi and hockey teams. If the event was allocated to India then it is the superior squash governing body’s moral and ethical responsibility to ensure each and every player should be given Indian visas or they must be stripped off from holding the event and it should be conducted somewhere else.”

Waqar said the players had undergone eight hours training even on Sundays and it was completely heartbreaking. “The PSF must not sit back and take the matter to all available forums. It is a dream of all players to represent country and win laurels. I had earned the right after a long and hard struggle. I feel like world is over for me as Farhan Mehboob, Farhan Zaman and Tayyab had experienced huge international and team events taste, whereas players like me get this rare opportunity, who after the toughest competitions and by defeating top level players finally been able to get the right to play for country that not comes every other day. If Pakistan is denied from their due right of playing in the championship, then we should raise our voice and that too with full force.”

Meanwhile, PSF Honorary Secretary Wing Commander Tahir Sultan said he was hopeful that Indian High Commission will use common sense and realising their mistake will issue visas as a special case. “Anyhow now we will explore all our options and let me assure, we are not going to sit back and relax until and unless justice prevail,” Tahir concluded.