ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: A seven-member national team will participate in the World bodybuilding and fitness championship 2004 to be held in Bangalore, India on Nov 27-28.

The championship is being organized by National Amateur Bodybuilders' Federation of India in which 250 builders from about 35 countries are expected to take part, said chairman Pakistan Amateur Bodybuilding Guild (PABBG), Syed Nauman Shah while addressing a news conference on Wednesday.

"What makes the event special for Pakistan is that the Asian Bodybuilding Federation has for the first in country's history selected Ahmed Sadiq to compete in Professional category," Shah said.

The team members will gather in Islamabad on Nov 18 to attend a weeklong training camp and will leave for India on Nov 24.

The first India-Pakistan championship was organized in 1992 in Bangalore, in which 17 contestants each from both the countries participated. India's Ravi Desouza grabbed first while Pakistan's Ahmed Sadiq and Imtiaz Ahmed claimed second and third respectively.

The second championship was held in June 2004 in Islamabad where Pakistan's Saeed Mughal clinched first, Parkash Kumar from India grabbed second while another Pakistani Ghulam Abbas secured third position.

TEAM: Muhammad Ashiq, Syed Muhammad, Muhammad Jameel, Muhammad Sayeed, Ghulam Abbas, Ahmed Sadiq (Professional), Shahzad Aslam, Sikandar Baloch (coach), Muhammad Omer Yousuf (manager), Syed Imran Musa (official).-PPI