KARACHI, July 11: The Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has invited London-based squash professional Carla Khan to participate in the forthcoming PC Bhurban National Women’s Squash Championship.

A PSF spokesman said on Friday that the Carla, a top 50 player in the international women’s rankings who won the PC Bhurban Championship last year, was sent the invitation a few days back.

But he said that Carla who represented Pakistan on the international circuit on a few occasions has so far not given any response to the PSF offer to compete in the tournament starting in Bhurban from July 15.

Carla, a grand daughter of Pakistan squash legend Azam Khan, was pursued by PSF officials to represent Pakistan on the international level last year.

She came to Pakistan last summer and competed in the 2002 PC Bhurban Championship, beating the local number one Bushra Haider in straight games in the final to lift the trophy.

Carla, who played for England both at the international senior and junior level, was all set to represent Pakistan at the 2002 Commonwealth games in Manchester (England), the Asia Games in Busan (South Korea) and the South Asian federation (SAF) Games in Islamabad.

But she was stopped by the Games’organisers from competing in the Manchester extravaganza a day before the start of the event on the grounds that she could not play for Pakistan as she was not a resident of the country.

Following the incident, Carla, blaming that that the PSF did not help her during the crisis, fell out with the Pakistani officials and refused to play for the country of her ancestors.

Now almost a year later, the PSF has made an attempt to mend fences with the player by inviting her to compete in the National Championship.

The Burban event, one of the most eagerly-awaited events of the national women’s circuit will be even more attractive this year as the organisers have brought a sixty percent increase in the prize money of the tournament to be played on a draw of 16. The prize purse has been raised to Rs50,000.

While Carla is unlikely to appear in the tournament, Karachi’s Bushra Haider will be the favourite to regain the crown in Bhurban.

Bushra won the Karachi leg of the National Women’s Championship last month and is likely to be installed as the top seed in the event that will bring together all the leading ladies of national squash.—PPI