ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: The prestigious Pakistan Open, postponed last September, has been rescheduled for March 9-17 next year at Lahore.

This and a number of other decisions were taken by the 29th Annual General Meeting of the Pakistan Squash Federation held in Rawalpindi Wednesday.

The meeting, chaired by the president of PSF, Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir, besides finalising the dates of the tournament, enhanced its prize money from US $80,000 to $100,000.

Secretary of the PSF Sqd. Ldr Sajid Waheed said the federation was now planning to buy a portable four-side glass wall court for the Pakistan Open.

The Open, had to be put back following the terror that struck the US on September 11 which led to the foreign players refusing to travel down to Pakistan for the tournament.

Sajid said that the new dates were chosen carefully as March was thought to be the best time for the event which will be organised by the Punjab Squash Association.

The house re-elected Jahangir Khan as the vice president of PSF for a second term of three years and deliberated at length about holding the elections of the provincial associations. In the light of the new sports policy, the squash bosses decided that Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan hold their elections before the deadlines set for them.

The sports policy will bring to an end the tenures of Qamar Zaman and Muhammad Ali Jogazai as secretaries of the provincial associations of NWFP and Balochistan respectively.

Rehmat Khan, who coached the legendary Jahangir to stardom, would continue to train the junior players. However, a decision on coaches for the seniors would be taken in due course, Sajid said.

A proposal was approved whereby the affiliated members of the PSF would sponsor four players for the National Games.

A committee, with one representative each from the Armed Forces and the secretary himself, was formed to finalise the national and international calendars for the year 2002.

The importance of women’s squash also came up for discussion with the president emphasising the need for associations to concentrate on training women players and holding tournaments for them so that a competitive environment could be created within the provinces.