June 6, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24,1423

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KARACHI, June 5: Pakistan boxing officials Wednesday took a sigh of relief when Army agreed to allow its boxers to participate in the Asian Championship and Commonwealth Games.

“The Army has agreed to issue no objection certificates for their two boxers who have been selected for the Asian Championship and the Games.

“I have been told that the NOCs of the Army players will be sent directly to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB),” the Pakistan Amateur Boxing Federation (PABF) joint secretary, Ali Akbar Shah, said Wednesday.

The Asian Championship, to be hosted by the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, is to run between June 18 and 26, while England will play host to the Games in Manchester from July 25.

The PABF, who were facing race against time with June 5 deadline to furnish the boxers particulars for the two competitions, will submit the relevant documents to the PSB by Thursday.

Earlier, according to the PABF official, the Army had refused to allow its pugilists to travel abroad because of escalating tensions on the Pakistan-India borders.

The PABF has chosen, light-welterweight Asghar Ali (KPT), middleweight Ahmad Ali Khan (Army), and heavyweight Shaukat Ali for the Commonwealth Games.

The trio will also appear at the Kuala Lumpur contest alongwith five boxers who are to be sponsored by their parent department — Wapda.

The PABF was facing a dilemma after Army’s refusal since both Ahmad and Shaukat had been training since long for this year’s international events.