KARACHI: Hong Kong will be the first foreign team to arrive here on Wednesday night to compete in the 17-nation 29th Jubilee Insurance Asian Snooker Championship which cues off at hotel Sheraton on Saturday, Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) said on Tuesday.

According to the information, other foreign teams will start arriving in the city from Thursday.

PBSF president Alamgir Shaikh told Dawn that an eight-member Pakistan snooker team will check in the Sheraton hotel on Friday noon. The cueists were currently undergoing training in a camp.

He disclosed that the Asian Confederation of Billiards Sports (ACBS) has acceded to Pakistan’s request by allowing it to field eight cueists including world amateur snooker champion Mohammad Asif in the spectacle. They will be placed in eight different groups.

Meanwhile, a consignment of 12 new Shender tables and its accessories which arrived at the seaport from China has been cleared.

The tables will be assembled at playing venue on Friday. Eight tables will be used for the competition and two for practice.

He said a senior PBSF official Jawaid Karim, who heads the protocol and security committee for the Asian championship, is due to meet Sindh Rangers officials and police sleuths on Wednesday to discuss security arrangements of players and officials.