ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: The Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) on Tuesday announced its domestic and international calendar with the National Championship starting early next month. Chairman of the PVF, Chaudhry Muhammad Yaqub told a press conference that 18 teams will take part in the championship that runs from Dec 3-9 at the Liaquat Gymnasium in Islamabad.

The 41st edition of the event will also feature an Indian Punjab team which will be making a maiden appearance, Yaqub said.

Other sides competing for honours are Police, Army, POF, Wapda, PAF, Pakistan Steel, Navy, Islamabad, Punjab, NWFP, AJK, Sindh, Balochistan, Railways, Education Boards, HEC and PTCL.

The PVF plans to bid for the 2007 Asian Central Zone Championship which is being hosted next year by Sri Lanka. Other International competitions in which Pakistan spikers will take part in 2006 are the South Asian Games (Sri Lanka/April), Al-Rashid Tournament (UAE/August), Asian Junior Championship (Iran/September) and the Asian Games (Doha/ December).

The federation also has plans to make a bid for the next Asian Junior Championship in 2008 which they intend to organise in Islamabad.

The domestic competitions slated for next year are the National Women’s Cham pionship (Lahore/January), Governor’s Gold Cup (Lahore, Gujranwala/ February), National Junior Men’s Championship (Wah/ January), Capt Natha Khan Sher-Juang Memorial

(AJK/ May) and an all-Pakistan invitational tournament.

Yaqub said that PVF would also set up regional camps at Sialkot, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Bannu and Swat shortly.