Pakistan allowed to host international boxing event

Karachi – The International Boxing Association (AIBA) and the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) have officially granted permission to Pakistan Boxing Federation to organize “Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International boxing Tournament-2010 at Karachi January 1-9, the PBF announced here Tuesday.

The tournament in which fifteen or more foreign teams are expected to appear will be held at Expo Centre-Karachi located opposite Civic Centre in Gulshan e Iqbal.
The owners of the centre have allotted hall number four and five to Pakistan Boxing Federation for hosting the event.

The Expo Centre is ideal both from security and spacewise to hold the event. It can accommodate hundreds of interested fans for the fights besides being a secure place.
Competition in eleven weight categories will be held during the ten day competition which is expected to be the first international sports competition in the country since March of this year when terrorists attacked the visiting Sri Lankan team outside Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.

Since then not only cricket teams but teams in other sports have refused to come to Pakistan due to security situation. Even a number of international federations withdrew permission to Pakistan to host international events.
One the biggest casualty of March attack on Lankan team was shifting of the 2011 Cricket world cup from Pakistan.

Pakistan was one of the four co host of the mega event but after March attack on Sri Lankan team the ICC decided to drop Pakistan as host.
Prior to that the ICC even shifted the prestigious ICC Championship to South Africa denying Pakistan huge losses in revenue. Though the ICC compensated financially but shifting of the two events took heavy toll in Pakistan being labeled as insecure destination for international sports.

Hosting of Benazir Bhutto International Boxing would re-establish Pakistan as a secure place for international sports.

President Doda Khan Bhutto who had personally worked hard to convince AIBA to allot the event to Pakistan had ensured that it would be held under strict secured condition, has expressed deep thanks to AIBA and ASBC.

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