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LAHORE: Pakistan karate team returned home on Monday from India after winning altogether 19 medals in the 3rd South Asian Junior, Cadet & Senior Karate Championship held from 22-25 September at New Delhi India.

Pak martial art players demonstrated high quality display of skills, technique and vast stamina to win 3 Gold, 8 Silver and 8 Bronze Medals.

The trio of Pakistan karatekas Naseer Ahmed and Baz Muhammad, Kulsoom put up excellent performance and won bulk of medals, said Shamim Hashmi, Secretary, Pakistan Karate Federation here. Naseer won 1 Gold, 1 Silver, Baz Muhammad I Gold 2 Silver, Kulsoom 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze Medals in the event.

He said Pakistan was the champion of 1st South Asian Karate Championship India, but Indian Embassy did not issue the visa to Pakistan Karate team for its participation in the 2nd South Asian Karate Championship held in India last year.

“This time PKF applied for visas of 14 male players and 12 female players but Indian Embassy issue visas to only 6 male & 6 female players. Despite being in half of strength in number, our Team performed excellent and bagged 19 medals. Pakistan Stood second in male event and 4th in female events,” he asserted.

He said on the side lines of the championship, the Asian Karate Federation also organized Asian Referee/Coaches Course & Examination on this occasion. “Two Pakistani referees Khalid Noor & Uzma Asghar qualified in the referee course and Baber Iqbal qualified in the coaches course.

PKF applied for visa of 21 referee/Judges and coaches, but Indian Embassy issued visas to only 3 referees,” he added.