PBSA president calls for early release of funds

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) has once again asked Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Dr Fehmida Mirza to release cash awards, incentives and grants to the association.

In a letter addressed to the minister, PBSA president Jawad Karim requested to the minister that all the pending grants may be released at the earliest. These include release of cash award for Muhammad Asif for winning the world championship in 2019.

“Once again we request you to kindly release the long-pending cash award for our legendary player Muhammad Asif who is the current world champion and has won the IBSF World Snooker Championship title twice for Pakistan in 2012 in Sofia (Bulgaria) and 2019 in Antalya (Turkey).”

The PBSA also reminded of the ministry to release special as well as annual grants.

“We are facing great financial difficulties and are unable to meet even day-to-day expenses. Kindly release special and annual grants as the association had already financed the players in various international tournaments in 2019 from its own resources. The audited accounts of the association for year 2020 have been submitted to the PSB.”

“The association would also like to draw your attention to an old pending issue of medals tally for snooker on a yearly basis that was proposed by association for medal winners in international competitions and the summary had been forwarded for the approval by the PSB and the Ministry for IPC.”

The official added during the last two years the PBSA time and again asked the ministry for resolution of its problems but did not receive any response from the concerned quarters.