Pakistan bids to host World Junior Squash

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has placed bid to host 2021 World Junior Squash Championship (boys individual and girls team and individual) with federation senior vice president Air Marshal Shahid Akhtar Alvi confident of getting the opportunity to unleash country’s best up and coming players in front of home crowd.

Talking to group of journalists, Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) SVP confirmed that all the relevant material has been submitted with the World Squash Federation (WSF).“We have placed a bid to host the 2021 World Junior Championship in Islamabad. We have furnished every detail with the world body and hopefully would get a positive response from the world body,” the PSF SVP said. It would be for the second time that Pakistan would be hosting the World Junior Championship. “If we succeed in getting go ahead from the world body, it would be for the second time after 2004 that Pakistan are to host the international junior meet.”

Air Marshal Shahid Akhtar Alvi said that PSF has already successfully won the bid to host the Asian Senior Individual Championship in 2021.“The World Junior would be the second international event which Pakistan is planning to host in 2021. We have already won the bid to host Asian Individual and hopefully would get a chance to host the world meet also. We have placed strongest of bid and hopefully would be awarded the event.”

The News has learnt that the WSF is expected to send a team of experts to inspect the available facilities for the mega event that is expected to see over fifty countries squash player competing.

The Mushaf Ali Mir Complex is already in top shape and is extending state of the art facilities for the budding players. The Complex is under direct supervision of Pakistan Air Force.However, the organizers would also be required to host matches at the adjacent Roshan Khan Complex that these days is in terrible condition. The Complex condition (that comes under direct supervision of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is no different to that of the Board itself.

In order to make impressive presentation to the visiting WSF team, there is dire need for the upgradation of Roshan Khan Complex. Besides uplifting the existing squash facilities, there is a need to start the upgradation work at the site as soon as possible.

“Definitely, for the success of bid, we need to make impressive presentation to the visiting WSF team that is expected to visit Pakistan at the end of the year. What we need is an early start on the renovation and upgradation of Roshan Khan Complex. We are expecting a heavy presence of players and officials for the two back to back international events in 2021 and as such need all the facilities ready in time,” a PSF official when contacted said.