December 3, 2002	Tuesday	Ramazan 27,1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: The visa controversy involving Pakistani squash players took yet another twist Monday when the Belgian embassy in London refused to issue visas to Mansoor Zaman and Shahid Zaman for the World Open starting Wednesday.

Secretary of the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), Wing Commander Sajid Waheed told Dawn that the two players who were in England playing in the Surrey League, were to be granted visas by the embassy in London as per assurances given by the Belgian ambassador in Islamabad.

Apart from Mansoor and Shahid, there were three other players -Ijaz Azmat, Farrukh Zaman and Shamsul Islam intending to compete in the $160,000 tournament, who however got their visas on Saturday in Islamabad.

Both Ijaz and Farrukh left for Belgium Monday but Shams could not go because of illness, Sajid said.

The Belgian embassy here had initially refused visas to all the five players saying their interior ministry had not given them clearance. But the involvement of the Pakistan Foreign Office led to the Belgian ambassador reconsidering the case and agreeing to issue visas.

“The ambassador had assured us that he would intimate his counterparts in London to grant visas to both Mansoor and Shahid there but they were told Monday no such information had been received from Islamabad.”

Sajid said that Sheila Cooksley, the Tour Director of Professional Squash Association (PSA) had informed him about the developments in London.

“Mansoor and Shahid were at the embassy all day but have been told that no intimation whatsoever had been received from the Islamabad embassy,” Sajid said.

“If they are not given visas by Tuesday they will have to miss the tournament which would be something very unfortunate.”

Mansoor is ranked No 18 in the world while Shahid is No 28.