Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) on Friday evening unveiled an ambitious plan to produce a world champion within next three years under its Vision 2011. Details of the plan were announced at PAF Museum by Senior Vice President of PSF Air Vice Marshal Asim Suleman, who also expressed the confidence that Pakistan was quite capable of producing a champion.
He said the PSF was highly encouraged by the performance of Pakistan junior team, which won the world championship in Switzerland. AVM Asim said Pakistan got a good pool and young and senior players and with proper grooming and training, they could be developed into world champions.
"We have prepared a special plan and that the plan will be put step by step in place in the next three years to prepare the champion," he said. He said the PSF, with a meagre budget of Rs 1.6 million at its disposal, was providing the best facilities to develop their skill and talent and bring laurels to the country.
He said PSF was providing all travelling facilities abroad and footing all their bills, which no other federation in the world was doing. He said the federation did not want to go into mud-slinging with the players because it would harm the sport.
The PSF Senior Vice-President dispelled the impression that Qamar Zaman had resigned as the Vice-President. He said it was interesting to see that Jansher Khan, whose talent was nurtured and who got his roots in Pakistan Air Force was criticising the Federation.
Asim Suleman was unable to give a clear-cut answer whether the action was to be taken against those players who came up in the media and thus cause a breach of code of conduct. He said Aamir Atlas, Mansoor Zaman and Farhan Mehboob were very talented and brilliant players and they got the potential to go places.
He, however, admitted that despite the Federation's best efforts, it had been unable to bring a player among top 10 in the last decade or so. The PSF official said they (PSF) were extending all support to district and provincial associations to promote and develop junior players.