Pakistan Sports Trust comes to PBSA’s rescue once more - Pakistan Sports

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Pakistan Sports Trust (PST) has come to the rescue of the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) once more by approving a substantial grant for the participation in the IBSF World Snooker Championship starting later this month.
Col Mohammad Azhar Dean, Director Finance, PST, has confirmed that a grant of Rupees six lacs has been approved for the PBSA to cover the expenses for sending the team for the World Snooker Championship to be held in Wels, Austria, from October 27 to November 8.

Pakistan’s top two cueists, Saleh Mohammad and Khurram Hussain, who are currently training at the Karachi Club for the past one week, now appear certain to board the plane Austria for trying their luck in the World Championship.

The PBSA had turned to their most trusted friend, PST, last week seeking financial assistance on an urgent basis following the regret of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).

Mr Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, President, PBSA, acknowledged the prompt and positive action of General Syed Arif Hasan, Chairman, PST.

“The Executive Committee of the PBSA wishes to thank the Chairman of the PST, General Syed Arif Hasan, for sanctioning the amount thereby making possible Pakistan’s participation in the IBSF World Championship,” he said in a statement issued on October 19.

The PBSA officials recognized the fact that the participation of Pakistan’s cueists in the global event would have been jeopardized, had the PST not acted swiftly after the inability of the PSB to release the special grant that was promised for this purpose.

The PBSA had never missed participation during the past 20 years in the Asian or World Snooker Championships but they would have been in serious trouble had the funds were not approved by the PST.

It’s not the first time that the PST has come to rescue the PBSA from a tight corner. It was a special PST grant of Rs 350,000 that had enabled the PBSA to hold the inaugural 6-Red International Snooker Tournament here only a couple of months ago.