October 08, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 08, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 7: The Karachi Table Tennis Association (KTTA) plans to conduct at least three ranking events, including the Karachi championship, in the last quarter of the year.

“The second PMA Inter-Medical Colleges/Universities tournament, second Dr Essa Mohammad Trophy and the Karachi championship are on the cards which are due to take place before the year ends,” KTTA chairman Dr Farhan Essa said on Tuesday.

Highlighting salient features of Dr Essa Mohammad Trophy, he said the KTTA has decided to raise the level of the contest introduced last year by inviting teams from Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta etc. The event takes place in November.

The upcountry teams would be provided free accommodation, he added.

The KTTA official said this will be preceded by holding a fortnight camp for local players.

He said the year culminates by holding the annual Karachi championship in December.

It may be mentioned that cash prizes amounting to Rs0.2 million were introduced in the Karachi championship last year for the first time.

He said similar purse will be at offer this time also to provide incentives to the budding players.

Identifying other measures for the uplift of the game he said some corporate firms have came forward by patronising the sport.