KARACHI: Pakistan will host South Asian Shooting Championship in Islamabad from November 20 to 28, a top official of the National Rifles Association of Pakistan (NRAP) told ‘The News’ on Sunday.

The secretary of NRAP Khalid Javed said that except from Sri Lanka the rest of the South Asian shooting playing countries including India, Nepal and Bangladesh have confirmed their participation in the nine-day affair.

“We have also invited Afghanistan but so far no response has been received from them. But I am hopeful if they have any stuff in shooting they will really send their team for the event,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention here that two South Asian countries including Bhutan and Maldives will not participate in the championship because they have no shooting teams.

Khalid said that he is also striving to make this competition more competitive by inducting some of the countries from the Middle East as well.

“We have also invited Kuwait, Qattar and Iran to further boost the scope of the event. Kuwait have sent their tentative approval while the same is the case with Qattar but their entries are yet to be confirmed,” he said.

He said that around six million rupees will be spent on the championship, saying Pakistan Sports Trust (PST) will bear all the expenses.

Khalid said that Pakistan will pick their marksmen for the event after the National Shooting Championship which the authorities plan to hold in the federal capital at the end of October.

He added that the leading performers in the national championship will be given the opportunity to represent Pakistan in the said affair.“That the event will help encourage shooting in Pakistan,” he said.