Pakistan squash received a badly needed shot in the arm on Tuesday when the Professional Squash Association (PSA) lifted the ban on recognised international players to visit and compete in this country.
Following the PSA decision, the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) Senior Vice President Razi Nawab said at a press conference that the PSA intimated on Tuesday that it had decided to lift the ban. “I am sharing this good news with you that was only intimated to us today by PSA. The ban on the leading international players has been lifted. It now opens up the door for us to plan in a big way for the game’s future,” Nawab said.
The ban had been in force since 2006.
“It was in 2006 that Pakistan last hosted a squash mega event. Since then the federation had been offered events of only $10,000 and $15,000 prize money. Now we are free to host major events. We have planned a $25,000 event in October this year,” Nawab said. “It is the fruit of our years of hard work,” he claimed.
He added the PSA has agreed to the staging of this event to help stimulate the sport’s popularity. “We’re pleased to see high level squash returning to Pakistan and hope that this year’s tournament can help re-ignite the country’s passion for the sport,” said PSA’s Chief Executive Alex Gough.
