ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: Pakistan are bidding for next year’s World Team Championship after Finland, the actual hosts withdrew because of financial constraints.

Secretary of the PSF, Sqd. Ldr Sajid Waheed told Dawn that after Finland pulled out, the World Squash Federation (WSF) had invited bids for the championship.

“Ours would probably be the first bid to reach the WSF and we stand a good chance of earning the right to stage the event,” Sajid said.

“We have the experience of having hosted the 1993 World Team Championship in Karachi and I see no reason why we should not get it.”

The PSF plans to ask former world champion Jahangir Khan to exercise his influence in helping Pakistan win the hosting rights.

If the 2003 championship is allotted to Pakistan, it would be held in Karachi, a city which Sajid said had the required infrastructure for holding such a big event.

“We would like to organise it in Karachi because we have more than 12 courts there and soon we’ll also have an all-glass court which would be another plus.”

The court which will cost the PSF over Rs 11 million is on its way here from Germany and will be first put to use in next month’s Pakistan Open in Lahore.

Senior Vice President of PSF, Air Marshal Syed Qaiser Hussain is now seeking a tax waiver on the court and has spoken to the chairman of the CBR in this regard.