LAHORE: Pakistan’s Saadi Abbas became the first player from the SAARC countries to be ranked 10th at the World Karate Federation’s Karate-1 Premier League.

Secretary Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF) Muhammad Jahangir said it was an honour for the country that no one from India, Bangladesh, Nepal or any other country of the SAARC region could achieve the ranking.

Jehangir said Saadi is currently in Dubai competing in an event there, but he had missed out his participation in the Morocco League due to of lack of funds.

He said Saadi had made the nation proud by winning a gold in the US Open, besides winning gold twice at the Common­wealth Karate championships. He admitted that it would be a great disappointment if Saadi does not get any sponsor.

He said though the PKF had tried its best to earn a suitable sponsor for Saadi, so far, it had failed to achieve the results.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2018