ISLAMABAD, Jun 30: Pakistan Sports Board will hold training camp from October to prepare national contingent for First Islamic Solidarity Games to be held in Saudi Arabia in April next year.

"We shall field our squad in all but one of the 12 disciplines being competed at the Games," said PSB Director General, Brig. Arif Mehmud Siddiqui on Wednesday. The sports gala in Saudi Arabia will feature competitions in the disciplines of athletics, basketball, football, karatedo, handball, swimming, tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting and fencing.

"We shall not figure in fencing as this sport is only at an elementary stage in this country," Arif said. At least 38 nations are likely to take part in the Islamic Games.

The DG was unhappy over Pakistan's absence from the Commonwealth weightlifting championship at Malta due to what he termed 'visa constraints'. "Three or may be four weighlifters were expected to bid for gold medals at this championship but unfortunately they could not make it to Malta."

But he was determined to provide all facilities to players ahead of such competitions as National Games, Punjab Games (India), Islamic Games (Saudi Arabia), South Asian Games (Sri Lanka) and Asian Games (Qatar).

Also present was Associate Secretary Pakistan Olympic Association, Col. (r) Muhammad Yahya, who said a training schedule for the Pakistani sports persons in four new South Asian Games disciplines would soon be chalked out.

The 10th South Asian Games would feature four new disciplines of archery, wushu, judo and cycling in addition to the 15 that figured in the 9th edition in Islamabad and for which training schedule for the 10th edition in Sri Lanka has already been formulated. -APP