LAHORE, Nov 1:Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) is still waiting for permission from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to allow the national team to visit India for participation in the second SAARC Gold Cup Cycling Championship to be held at New Delhi from Dec 3 to 8.

The PCF secretary Khawaja Idrees Haider said Thursday that the federation was ready to field its team in the competition which once had been postponed due to earth-quake in the Indian state of Gujrat in March.

He expressed his apprehension that the present political tension between Pakistan and India and security reasons due to US-Afghan war in this region might compel the PSB not to allow Pakistan cycling team to compete in India.

He said that Pakistan was the next host of the competition which would be held in 2002. The first edition of the SAARC competition was held in Sri Lanka in which Pakistan earned one gold and some silver and bronze medals.

He said that the PCF would pick Pakistan male and female teams for the SAARC championship after the 51st national championship to be held at the only Velodrome of the country here from Nov 5 to 10.