BOXING TOURNAMENT IN MEMORY OF BENAZIR BHUTTO

By P.VIJIAN

NEW DELHI, June 25 (Bernama) -- Pakistan is preparing to host the inaugural
Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament in memory of the
country's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated two years
ago.

Pakistan Boxing Federation secretary Muhammad Akram Khan said at least 17
countries have indicated their interest to participate in the tournament, to be
held in Karachi from Oct 22- 29 this year.

"The tournament is in memory of the late former prime minister and we are
expecting a good number of foreign teams to take part. The prize money is
attractive and there is no need to worry of any security issues, all will be
taken care," Akram Khan told Bernama from Karachi.

The international tournament is also to shape up Pakistani boxers for the
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) games in Dhaka,
Bangladesh next January and for the 2010 Asian Games in China, he added.

Boxers from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Malaysia, Mongolia, North Korea
and the Philippines have shown interest in the event, which includes eleven
categories.

The gold medallist would receive cash prize of US$1,000, silver US$500 and
bronze medallist US$250.

In the team category, the wining team would be awarded US$5,000 and the
runner-up US$2,500 while the best boxer in the tournament would get US$5,000.

"The Pakistan government is sponsoring this tournament and we will spend
about 10 million Pakistani rupees (US$120,000) for this international event,"
Akram Khan said.

Bhutto, twice the prime minister of Pakistan, was assassinated by gunmen on
Dec 27, 2007.
-- BERNAMA