June 07, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1428

KARACHI, June 6: The Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) heaved a sigh of relief when a division bench of Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Muneeb Ahmed Khan disposed of the petition filed for the verification of cueist Saleh Mohammad’s nationality on Wednesday.

The PBSA was one of the respondents in the constitutional petition CP D-1174 of 2007, under Article 199 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan filed by one Javed Akhtar, son of Zubair Ahmed, proprietor of a local Time Snooker Parlour.

Other who were made respondent in the case are Secretary Interior, the FIA, Secretary Sports, Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) besides the player concerned.

The petitioner has raised the issue that Saleh had represented Afghanistan in the 15th Doha Asian Games in Dec last and now he has earned selection in the Pakistan team for the upcoming Asian Snooker Championship.

“The petition has been dismissed after the aggrieved party failed to provide sufficient evidence in support of the case,” the PBSA Secretary, Aspi Mavalvala, confided to Dawn.

Lawyers Kazi Abdul Hameed Siddiqui and Khawaja Naveed Ahmed appeared for the petitioner and the respondent while Jamil Sakrani represented the PBSA.

The 23rd Asian Snooker Championship is scheduled to be held in the city from June 11-17.