PBSA set to launch U15 National Snooker

KARACHI: The focus will be on youth in the coming year as the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) is set to launch Under-15 National Snooker Championship next month.

Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, PBSA co-chairman, informed ‘The News’ here on Thursday that it has been decided to hold the under-15 event with the National Under-17 and the National Under-20 Championships in Islamabad in January.All these tournaments are being supported by Jubilee Insurance, who have been the major sponsors of Pakistan snooker for a decade and a half.

“We are glad to announce the launch of the under-15 competition because we were on it for the last few years,” said Alamgir after returning from Cairo where he was on an assignment for the International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF).

“Our units have already organised under-15, under-17 and under-20 tournaments at the provincial level,” the PBSA co-chairman added. “The feedback from the provincial associations regarding these tournaments for the youngsters is very encouraging as there was healthy participation in every event which augurs very well for the future of the sport,” Alamgir said.

“The youngsters, being groomed and facilitated by the PBSA, are progressing in leaps and bounds,” he said. “Such cueists as Hamza Akbar, Majid Ali and Naseem Akhtar have done wonders after being discovered at a very young age. There are many other enthusiastic teenagers waiting to make their presence felt in a big way and become stars. Our tournaments provide them platforms to showcase their potential and then we take care of them in every possible manner to polish their skills,” Alamgir claimed.