KARACHI, Jan. 3: The Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF) has launched Data Steel Continuous Pairs Bridge to prepare a strong Pakistan combination for the 15th Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East (BFAME) Championship, to be held in Jordan later his year.

“After conducting few rounds of Continuous Bridge we would be holding open trials to select Pakistan men and women teams for the BFAME event,” Secretary PBF Tariq Rasheed Khan said on Saturday.

He said PBF wanted to provide proper build-up for the trials so that strongest possible Pakistan team should be formed. Hosts Pakistan had finished runners-up in the men’s team event in 2007 after losing to arch-rival India by barest margin of one victory point in Karachi contest.

Top ten countries of the region including holder India, Pakistan,Bangladesh, Jordan, Palestine, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar would be taking part in the event.

“It will be an important event because the winners and runners-up of BFAME will qualify for the Bermuda Bowl World Bridge Championship, to be held Brazil in October/November 2009,” Tariq maintained.

Pakistan twice finished runners-up in Bermuda Bowl in the eighties with legendary Zia Mahmood, Masood Saleem, Munir Attaullah, Jane-Alam Fazli, Nishat Abedi representing the country.

He said the PBF was also working to prepare the calendar for national and provincial activities for this year.—APP