PBSA appeals federal govt to release long-pending special grants

KARACHI: The Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) has appealed to the federal government to release long-pending special grants, warning that the country's participation in upcoming international events is in jeopardy due to a severe financial crisis.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the PBSA said it has received no financial assistance from the Pakistan Sports Board since July 2024, despite the national team's success on the global stage, including a gold medal at the IBSF World Men's Snooker Championship in Doha in November 2024.

"The Association is just around the corner to start its Snooker season for the fiscal year 2025-2026 with a critical financial situation,” the statement said.

It added that the PBSA had to self-finance Pakistan's participation in four international events over the past year, including tournaments in Mongolia, Qatar, Sri Lanka, and the IBSF World Championship.

Citing ongoing financial constraints, the PBSA said it may not be able to send its players to key international events lined up this season, including the Asian Team & 6 Red Championship in Sri Lanka later this month, the Commonwealth Championship in Mauritius in July, and the World Games in China this August.

"Due to the present situation prevailing, the PBSA foresees difficult times ahead to fulfill its international commitments for the year 2025–2026," the statement warned, highlighting the challenge of maintaining both domestic circuits and the secretariat’s operations.

The PBSA emphasised that despite the players' extraordinary performances, it still awaits the release of special grants to cover international participation costs. It urged the Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) to intervene and facilitate the immediate release of funds.

"This will enable the Association to start the current snooker season with firm commitment to further promote the game of snooker in Pakistan," the PBSA said.