KARACHI, Aug 9: Veteran cueist Naveen Perwani will lead Pakistan's snooker contingent in the Asian Games which will be held in December at Doha, Qatar, President Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) Asghar Valika announced here on Wednesday.

Pakistan will be featuring in billiards singles and doubles, snooker singles, doubles team competition and pool singles and doubles in the Asian Games.

The 34-year-old Naveen has represented Pakistan in three World Championships and three Asian events besides getting doubles bronze medal in Busan’s Asian Games in 2002.

“It’s definitely a big honour for me and I am looking forward to bring more laurels to the country,” said Naveen while commenting on his appointment.

Meanwhile, PBSA said it was negotiating a deal with an English snooker coach who will train the local cueists for the mega event.

“We are negotiating with an English coach to train and prepare Pakistan snooker team for the Asiad,” said Valika.

“We have picked probables for the training camp which will begin in October under the foreign coach.”

Disclosing details of the coach-deal, the PBSA chief said that hiring a seasoned official from United Kingdom would be costing approximately one million rupees to PBSA.

“We would be submitting the details of coach remuneration with Pakistan Sports Board soon,” he said.

Apart from this PBSA would be hiring the services of Sri Lankan Henry Boteju to train billiards teams for the Asian Games.

The first phase of the training camp will be held in Karachi and second in Islamabad.

Veteran referee Shabbir Daruwala has been appointed the camp commandant.

Valika expressed hope that with good coaching and training, Pakistani cueists would have a better chance of claiming more medals in Asiad.

Former national champion Farhan Mirza, now residing in Sweden has also expressed his desire to represent Pakistan in the continental games and Valika said PBSA would be considering his inclusion in the side keeping his past performance in view.

A committee comprising vice president Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, secretary Aspi Mavalwala and Wahid Qadir have been formed to look into the Asian Games selection process and other affairs.

Pakistan probables picked for training camp are: Imran Shahzad, Khurram Hussain Agha, Muhammad Yousuf, Naveen Perwani, Abu Saim, Vishan Gir, Salman Shaikh, Rambel Gul, Muhammad Asif, Imtiaz Tipu, Syed Mesam Zaidi and Sohail Shahzad.—APP