Pak shooters have big year ahead

KARACHI: Pakistan’s shooters are to participate in a number of big international events next year in order to prepare themselves for the Asian Games.

They will participate in the ISSF World Cup Shotgun that is scheduled in February in Morocco. Then they will feature in ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol the same month in Indonesia. In March, the shooters will participate in the ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Cyprus and later in the ISSF President’s Cup Rifle/Pistol in Egypt.

In April, the ISSF President’s Cup Rifle/Pistol will be held in China and the same month shooters will participate in ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Italy. In May, ISSF World Cup Shotgun will be held in China. Pakistan’s shooters will also participate in the ISSF President’s Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in June in Azerbaijan.

They will then feature in the 19th Asian Games in China in September. “We have a big year ahead. Our shooters in shotgun and air pistol events are all geared up for these events,” said Razi Ahmed, Secretary National Rifle Association of Pakistan, while talking to ‘The News’.

He added that they are expecting good results from their shooters in shotgun and air pistol categories while at the same time they are hopeful that some juniors would come up with surprising results in Air Rifle category.

“We are hopeful that our shooters achieve good results in Asian Games and at the same time they work hard to win quota places for the next Olympics,” said Razi, adding that they needed support from the government and Pakistan Sports Board to achieve these targets.