KARACHI: The incumbent national Under-21 snooker champion Ali Haider may not be able to represent the country in the coming Asian event for that age-group in Chandigarh from April 27 to May 3 due to non issuance of Indian visa, the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) said on Sunday.

“Just two months back, the Asian Confederation of Billiards Sports (ACBS) had postponed third leg of the Asian Tour after three Pakistani cueists and as many others were denied visas by India to compete,’ the PBSF president Munawwar Hussain Shaikh told Dawn.

Moreover, former Asian champion Hamza Akbar, who qualified for the Indian Open, was also denied visa by the Indian government to travel to Kochi.

The Pakistani cueists who were supposed to take part in the Asian Tour include Babar Masih, Mohammad Bilal and Haris Tahir.

Like the National Rifle Association of Pakistan (NRAP), the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) had also lodged its protest with the regional body to shift the venues of two forthcoming international events from India through an official communication.

“The Pakistani cueists may not be able to compete in the 10-Reds third Asian Tour at Bangalore and the Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship at Chandigarh due to strained relations between the two neighbouring nations in the aftermath of terror incident in Pulwama and denial of visas,” it said.

It is pertinent to mention following complaint by NRAP, the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) had come down hard on India after it refused visas to two Pakistani marksmen to compete in the World Cup at New Delhi held in February.

“Consequently, the IOC also banned India for going against the Olympic Charter relating to discrimination and political interference from host country and simultaneously instructed all federations to neither award nor hold sports events in India until they receive written assurances from the Indian government that participants from all nations will be guaranteed entry,” the statement said.

It added that considering the above facts, the decision taken by the ACBS to hold the Asian events in India are unjustified and being a founder member of the ACBS, the PBSF strongly wish to record its protest.

“The present prevailing uncertain relations between Pakistan and India, it would be impossible to obtain the visas for the Pakistan players from the Indian High Commission and also the unsafe travel conditions and participation of our players,” it added.

“The PBSF had requested the ACBS to shift the Asian events to a neutral venue where all countries can comfortably participate,” the statement concluded.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2019