December 17, 2003	Wednesday	Shawwal 22, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 16: Ch. Muhammad Yaqub, chairman of the national volleyball federation said on Tuesday that Pakistan were at a take-off stage but shortage of funds was hampering their progress.

“Our problem has been that of financial constraints but now I am quite hopeful that we will be able to overcome that in the days to come,” he told a news conference to announce the 39th Prime Minister’s National Championship.

The championship, to be held at the Liaquat Gymnasium in Islamabad will run from Dec 19 to 26, has been sponsored by Bahria Town with Ufone and PTCL as the co-sponsors.

“We have received adequate support from the sponsors for this championship for which I am thankful to them,” Yaqub said. Bahria Town are putting in Rs 1.5 million while both Ufone and PTCL have contributed Rs one million apiece.

The National Championship will feature 16 teams that have been divided into four groups with defending champions Army in Pool A along with NWFP, Sindh and Higher Education.

Group B comprises Police, runners-up of the last championship and winners of the national crown for a record 15 times. They are bracketed with PAF, AJK and Islamabad.

Wapda, Navy, PTCL and Pak Boards are together in Group C while Group D has POF, Punjab, Railways and Balochistan.

The organisers have planned a colourful opening ceremony that will be at 3.30pm on December 19. “One match each day starting at 4pm would also be telecast live including the semi-finals and the final,” Yaqub said.

Meanwhile Yaqub announced plans of staging a national league on professional lines sometimes next year which will have 10 teams. “The matches will be played on a home and away basis and we intend to have the games shown live on television so that the sponsors get due mileage.”

Chaudhry said that in the run-up to next March’s SAF Games in Islamabad, Pakistan are likely to play a five-match series with Iran at home. “This will most probably be in the last week of February following which we will send our team to either Iran or Turkey,” Yaqub said.

The volleyball federation, he said was also making efforts to stage the Asian Championship or some other high-profile tournament so that the sport could get a boost.

“We have also been approached to play a series in Sharjah against India, a proposal we are discussing.”