KARACHI, Nov 8: Last year’s runner-up Pakistan’s Shahid Zaman has been top seeded for the sixth edition of Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) international squash championship to be played at Roshan Khan/Jahangir Khan Squash Complex from Nov 12 to 15.

The qualifying rounds of the championship will be held on Nov 10-11 while main rounds in draw of 16 will be contested from Nov 12, tournament director Khalid Owais announced at a joint news conference with organizing secretary Zahid Rauf at the venue of the championship.

Shahid’s cousin Mansoor Zaman is seeded two and Jonathan Kemp (England) is seeded three followed by Shamsul Islam Khan (Pakistan), Yasir Butt (Pakistan) and Hisham Muhammad Ashour (Egypt) at fourth, fifth and sixth spot.

Other foreign and Pakistan players drawn in the main draw of 12 included Mark Heather (England), Safeerullah Khan, Aamir Khan, Khayal Muhammad and Arshad Javed Burki.

The event carries a cash purse of $ 25,000.

Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia, who won the tournament last year beating Shahid Zaman had not entered in this year’s competition.

After the qualifying rounds, top four players will join the 12 to complete the draw of 16 in the four-day championship.

A panel of eight Pakistan referees Faheem Gul, Tahir Jamil Khanzada, Mahboob Khan, Zarak Jahan Khan, Azeem Khan, Naimatullah Khan, Zaffar and Jahangir Khan will supervise the matches.—APP