ISLAMABAD, June 12: The Ski Federation of Pakistan (SFP) has been granted full membership by the sport’s international governing body, the FIS.

“Pakistan have been admitted officially and almost unanimously as a full member,” president of the SFP, Air Marshal Salim Arshad told a news conference Wednesday.

“We had been making efforts to become members of the FIS for quite a few years and now these have borne fruit.”

The decision to grant membership to SFP was taken at the 43rd FIS Congress held in Italy earlier this month. Javed Habib represented Pakistan at the moot.

Having achieved this breakthrough, Arshad announced that Pakistan would now participate in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy and in this regard the SFP was gearing up.

“A task force has been set up comprising ski experts which will work on a plan and suggest ways and means for raising a team,” Arshad said. “It will also advise us how to fund the venture.”

The task force has Javed Habib as its chairman with Air Cdr. (Retd) Nonihal Shah, Brig (Retd) Jan Nadir, Group Capt Saqlain and Group Capt. Anwar as members.

These officials would sumbit their report in a month which will then be put before the SFP council for approval.

Arshad said that the SFP was in touch with various ski federations abroad to seek their assistance for training of instructors and skiers, support for infrastructure and equipment.

“The response so far has been encouraging as some federations have offered to send a coach over to Pakistan while others have said that our skiers could train in their countries.”

The SFP, Arshad said was also looking for sponsors and the response in this regard has been good.

But as is the case with most national federations in Pakistan, Arshad did not appear too inclined to look to the Pakistan Sports Board or the Pakistan Olympic Association for help.