February 6, 2002	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 22, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 5: Pakistan squash secretary Sqd. Ldr Sajid Waheed said Tuesday that he did not foresee any problems for the national junior team crossing borders for this July’s World Team Championship in Chennai.

“We have a good working relationship with the Indian Racket and Squash Federation and I don’t think we would face any hurdles sending a team to India and that too a junior one,” Sajid told Dawn.

“Mr. Ramachandaran, who heads the IRSF is also the president of the Asian Squash Federation and our federation is in contact with him in connection with the forthcoming championship.”

Sajid said that the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) was now preparing to finalise its team for the team championship and trials are due to start from Feb 8 onwards. “We have nine players who will appear in these selection trials out of which six will be selected, two of whom will be reserves,” Sajid explained.

Safeer Khan of PAF, who won gold in the under-17 category of both the British and Scottish Opens in December/January has been included in the camp. Also making his way in is Khalid Atlas who was a losing finalist in both these tournaments.

The two join a group of players that includes Majid Khan, Khayal Muhammad, Saeed Hassan, Imran Mohib, Naseem Tehkali, Shahnawaz and Waseem Shad. The players are being trained by Rehmat Khan, a one-time coach of Jahangir Khan.

Sajid said that once the team was finalised, Rehmat would focus exclusively on the six players. “The purpose of picking six including two reserves is basically for the reason that we have a replacement ready if a player sustains injury or falls sick.”