LAHORE, Jan 9: Pakistan Army will represent the country in the Asian Club football competition to be held from May 3 to 13. The venue has yet to be decided.

Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) recommended the Army for participation as it won the last premier league with 51 points from 22 matches.

Army also won the national championship in 1993 and 1995 but the then PFF officials failed to send the champions for this tournament.

Army would become the 12th team of Pakistan to feature in the competition.

Last time Wapda represented the country.

The draws of the event will be taken out on March 23.

Clubs from eight countries - Bhutan, Chinese Taipei, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan will participate in the event which was won by Regar Tadaz of Tajikistan who blanked Dordoi-Dynamo of Kyrgyzstan 3-0 in the final of the first edition at Kathmandu’s Dasharath Stadium on May 14, 2005.

AFC launched football club competition in 1967 with Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv winning the first-ever Asian Club Championship at Thailand.

Four Pakistani teams have the honour of playing AFC club competition twice.

They are PIA, Punjab, Crescent Textile Mills, Faisalabad and Wapda.

The other seven teams which have represented Pakistan once only are Habib Bank Limited, Pakistan Air Force, Karachi Port Trust, Lahore‘s Hafiz Wohaib Butt Memorial Club, Abbottabad’s Youth League, Lahore‘s Defence Club and Khan Research Laboratories.