Every News: Pakistan wushu squad leaves for Iran tomorrow

Pakistan wushu squad leaves for Iran tomorrow
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KARACHI: A 25-member Pakistan’s wushu squad will leave for Iran on Wednesday (tomorrow) to feature in the 3rd Peace and Friendship Wushu Championship (men and women) to be held at Zahedan, Iran, from March 1-4.“Yes, the team will leave for Iran on February 27,” Pakistan Wushu Federation’s (PWF) president Malik Iftikhar told ‘The News’ on Monday.“The visas have been received by the touring party. The squad includes 20 fighters (12 men, eight women) and five officials,” Malik said. Malik said Iran, who will field its two teams, has invited nine nations for the competitions which have a good standard.Pakistan has been a regular participant in the event. At a time when state is not funding national federations Iran’s tour of Pakistan’s wushu fighters will help them learn ahead of the 13th South Asian Games which are expected to be held in Nepal later this year. “You know as South Asian Games are already delayed we opted to manage this tour in order to test, in particular, our second string also which we have inducted in the men’s lot,” Malik revealed. “If you keep sending the same fighters to every tournament then what would happen to your second string which also needs attention. This tour will help us learn where our second string trails,” the official said. “In the 12-member men’s pool two young fighters from Karachi and one from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also been included. They are fairly good,” Malik said. “As far as women squad is concerned so I will tell you that all the fighters in it are young with an average age of 18. We had a couple of experienced fighters in the women lot but one is 26-year old and the other is 34 so its time to focus on young lot,” the official said. Malik said women’s lot was of equal strength.“In women we don’t have any extra-ordinary fighter and all are of equal standard. Our effort is to work on them so that they could learn and prepare for the toughest international events in future,” Malik added.According to Iran media, Palestine, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Sistan and Baluchestan would be part of the competitions to be held at the Sports Complex of Imam Ali in Zahedan. Wuhsu has been the most result-oriented sport as the country has to its credit also a few medals in the Asian Games.