Karachi:
In what came as a positive step towards the relationship between the two nations, the Pakistan government has given green nod to its two-member national billiards and snooker team to participate in the World Amateur Snooker Championship in India in November.
The government has given permission to the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) to send its team for the elite event to be held in Hyderabad from November 15 to 28 after the federation sought clearance from the Sports Ministry.
"The Sports Ministry has informed us that the government has cleared the way for our players to go to India for the World event," PBSA President Alamgir Sheikh said.
Pakistan will be represented in the tournament by Muhammad Sajjad and Atif Mughal, who are top ranked national players.
"We had got an invitation from the Indian organisers and we have now accepted it after getting the clearance," Sheikh said.
Pakistan government had advised sports federations to seek clearance in advance for participating in any event in India due to the strained relations between the two countries after last year's Mumbai terror attacks.
Recently, the government also allowed a Pakistani junior table tennis delegation and squash team to travel to India for international events.
Sources in the Sports Ministry had made it clear that the government had no objection on Pakistani players' travel to India for indoor sports.
"It is where high profile outdoor games like cricket, football or hockey, the government is concerned about our sportspersons travel to India, but the good thing is that conditions are slowly improving," a Sports Ministry source said.