LAHORE, April 1: Pakistan is a strong candidate for holding two important competitions at Asian level — the Senior volleyball championship and World Cup Junior qualification round — next year.

Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) president Chaudhary Mohammad Yaqoob, said after presiding over the general council meeting on Saturday.

Yaqoob, said Pakistan had also been allotted the last episode of the Asian Senior championship but the Asian game’s governing body reverted the decision because a practice court was not available in Liaqat Gymnasium, Islamabad.

He said now an additional hall was being constructed and now the PVF was e able to host the Asian contest.

He said the World Cup qualification round for Juniors would be held either at the end of current year or at the start of the next year.

He said Pakistan had already been allotted 2008 Asian Junior championship.

The PVF, he said was considering to start series with India on annual basis like hockey and soon a proposal would be forwarded to the Indian authorities.

He said Pakistan would take part in the Al-Rashid tournament, a regular event in Dubai, from July 12 to 19. Besides Pakistan, India, UAE and Australia had been participating in the event.

The SAF Games in Sri Lanka Aug 18-27, Asian Junior championship in Iran Sept 13-21 and Asian Games in Qatar in Dec were other important activities of the year, he said.

He said India had also invited Pakistan to take part in the Commonwealth volleyball championship in Nov this year.

The president said the PVF had decided to revive championship at club level—zonal to national— after a lapse of three years.

The federation could not maintain the important activity at the club level mainly due to non availability of the sponsors, the president said.

He said now the PVF had diverted the entire amount of Rs one million received from the Pakistan Sports Trust (PST) towards the club championship as the promotion of club level activities because it was the only source to produce talented players.

He said the PVF had divided the country into 23 volleyball zones that includes eight in Punjab, six in NWFP, five in Sindh and four in Balochistan. In the first phase, each zone will hold the contest.

Top two clubs will qualify for the provincial level event. Similarly, top three clubs of each province will qualify for the national championship.

A club could include two departmental players in their team.

Besides t five national level competitions will also be held this year.

That includes Capt. Natha Khan Shere Jang tournament to be held at Kotli, Azad Kashmir from April 10 to 14, Lala Ayub memorial tournament in Peshawar in end of April, Governor’s Cup in Gujranwala under floodlights in May, Mohabat Khan memorial tournament in Peshawar in September and an Invitational tournament in Karachi whether in May or September.

Similarly, courses for coaches and referees would also be held at regional and national levels.