LAHORE, July 13: Pakistan for the first time will field two pairs in the men’s event of the World badminton championship scheduled to be held in California, USA from Aug 15 to 21.

Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) secretary Amir Hayat Khan Rokhari said at a press conference on Wednesday that it was a major achievement and would help the players to get international exposure of highest level.

“The pairs qualified for the event on merit as they have improved their world ranking on the basis of which they were invited by the International Badminton Federation,” the secretary said.

Pakistan top ranked Wajid Ali-Omer Zeeshan and Waqas Ahmed- Tahir Ishaq were two pairs qualified for the world competition, he said.

He said that the pairs had achieved world ranking of up to 145, thus the PBF got an invitation from the international body.

“The federation has set a target to make Pakistan No. 1 at South Asian level and to notch up 20 in the world ranking in next two or three years,” he said.

He said that Pakistan clinched a major achievement in Nepal Satellite, recently, as Ahsan Qamar won the singles event while Waqas Ahmed and Tahir Ishaq lifted the doubles, in the presence of Indian players.

He also disclosed that at government level, Pakistan and Thailand were exchanging coaches of the squash and badminton. “Pakistan will provide Thailand a squash coach while in return they will send a badminton coach,” he said.

Disclosing the forthcoming international activities of the federation for this year, the secretary said that a team of veterans would be sent to compete in the Canadian Open and a national team would represent the country in the Indian Ssatellite.

The PBF was likely to hold Satellite tournament in December in Lahore. Last year,the federation held it in Islamabad.