KARACHI, Nov 14: The services of two North Korean ping pong coaches who arrived in Pakistan last year on a two-year contract may come to an abrupt end halfway next week as the PSB has frozen preparation funds for the postponed 11th South Asian Games now slated at Dhaka next year due to its uncertainty.

History was created when the North Korean coaches — Kim Song Hyon and Ri Hwang Il — for the first time arrived in Pakistan in November last as far as the game was concerned. Earlier, Pakistan used to engage Chinese exponents of the game for the grooming of its players.

“Yes, foreign coaches are about to complete one year on Nov 20 and under the given situation their services may not be acquired anymore,” President of the Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF), S. M. Sibtain, confided to Dawn on Friday.

“Truly speaking, I have given my input to the PSB on their query which says that besides the language barrier, the coaches were under utilised at least during the last five months.”

The coaches were getting $1,000 apiece per month in addition to boarding, lodging, medical and one month leave with return air passage to home.

The PSB has suspended all national camps in July that were underway in preparation for the Dhaka games.

The PTTF, he said, has suggested the PSB to utilise the services of national coaches by paying them handsome honorarium.

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of the PSB which normally meets in July-August to approve the budget for the next fiscal year, annual grant to national sports federations, special grants etc has not yet met which is a great concern.