ISLAMABAD, April 23: A 16-member Pakistan squad left here for China on Wednesday to take part in the 18th Asian Taekwondo Championship being held in Zheng Zhaou from April 24 to 30.

The squad is headed by Secretary, Taekwondo Federation Iftikhar Ahmed Tabassum, with Mohammad Babar as the men’s team manager and Saba Shamim Akhtar, the ladies’ team manager. Sohail Ali Khan and Mohammad Hanif are serving as the men’s and women’s team coaches while Irfanul Haq is accompanying the squad as doctor.

The men’s team includes Malik Shahzad Ahmed, Taufeeq Hussain, Kashif Khan, Shahzada, Mohammad Asif Khan, Rehmat Jan and Arif Mahmood while Kiran Bano, Samiya Imdad and Madhia Mazhar make up the women’s team.

The trip is expected to provide good practice and exposure for the team that will also be taking part in the forthcoming South Asian Games to be hosted by Bangladesh in 2009. —APP