PESHAWAR: Peshawar would host three international tournaments this year including $45,000 event for women at the PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex, former world champion and vice-president of the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) Qamar Zaman said on Thursday.

Talking to reporters during the opening ceremony of the KP Falak Sher Junior Age Group Squash Cham­pionship here at the PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex, Qamar disclosed that they have given tentative dates to the PSF for holding the said three events. Late Falak Sher, a 14-year-old squash player, died of cancer last year.

According to Qamar, the first event will be of $5,000 for women, followed by an international junior event for boys carrying a prize money of $15,000 and then a senior category event $25,000.

“We want to organise international tournaments in Peshawar, a city which produced seven world champions who ruled the world of squash for almost 37 years. Unfortunately, due to lack of sponsorship the KP Squash Association has not been able to organise these events,” he regretted.

Qamar said players from England, Australia, US, New Zealand, Egypt, Malaysia and India were willing to visit Peshawar for competing in the said squash events.

The PSF official disclosed that the KP Squash Association had already completed 12 different tournaments and national levels and announced 12 more tournaments in the remaining six months period.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2018