PSA clears CNS International Squash C’ship

KARACHI: The security and risk consultants of Professional Squash Association (PSA) have cleared the $20,000 13th CNS International Squash Championship for Karachi.

This PSA Challenger Tour is to be held at Pak Navy Roshan Khan, Jahangir Khan Squash Complex from December 6-10. PSA instructed Sports Risk (its security consultants) to examine the proposed security arrangements in Pakistan.

PSA stated on its website: “The PSA has instructed its Security and Risk Consultants to view the proposed security arrangements in Pakistan. This has now occurred and they advise the plan is robust and mitigates any risk greatly. “The Pakistan Government, Law Enforcement and our Security Consultants have had discussions in regard to the implementation of the security plan and an onsite inspection and meetings have been conducted,” it said.

“PSA’s security consultants Sports Risk will be on-site for this event. There is a full security plan in place.” Pakistan Navy is the promoter of this event whose entries will be closed on November 6. The main draw of the events is of 24 players (eight seeds). PSA lifted the ban on Pakistan for holding events with foreign participation last year.

It reviews security arrangements before the sanctioned events and their security consultants are present during the events. PSA in its Players Update last month stated that international squash tournaments in Pakistan were an extensively discussed topic at the PSA Board because Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) wants to host many PSA events every year.

PSA is allowing tournaments to be held only if approved by the Sports Risk Company (the security firm that the PSA is working with). This requires Sports Risk to travel and assess each venue before a tournament. PSA has agreed with the PSF to cover the expenses of Sports Risk for one or two big events.

The PSF has to cover them for smaller tournaments. It is pertinent to mention here that the same procedure was adopted by PSA last year in December before the $50,000 Pakistan Open Squash Championships in which as many as 28 foreign players from different countries participated.