From Pakistan with love

Being a Pakistani citizen you are unique in India. Atleast people here will make you feel one. Years of military regime in Pakistan thrive...

Being a Pakistani citizen you are unique in India. Atleast people here will make you feel one. Years of military regime in Pakistan thrived on by fueling anti-India sentiments and later democratically elected governments also left with no option but to sustain that practice to survive. This naturally had its impact on Indian psyche. Politically motivated pranks in India also added fuel to the fire and a Pakistani citizen in India is looked upon as if he is from a different planet. But, as the saying goes, Truth breaks the myth.

Then one of the biggest sports sponsors in Pakistan, Red and White decided to take up the game. They were prepared to spent like anything for the upliftment of the game in the country. And they changed the entire scenario.

Now Pakistan has a proper chess structure. All the four province, North West Frontiers, Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan hold championships. And then they have National individual, team and junior championship held every year. But the biggest of them all is National Masters Championship which features 32 top players of the country vying for the honour.

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Five top players from each province take part in the National Masters championship. Thus four province provide 20 participants. Then two IM’s of the country enter in the championship representing Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the biggest sponsors of Sports in the country. And playres from Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Pakistan Railways and University Grant Commission provide the rest participants. All these championships are sponsored by Red and White.

Hassan has a sound back ground. He Father is a builder and an ardent lover of the chess. On weekends, Hassan’s father use to invite his friends to play at his home and Hassan’s job was to serve them tea and other snacks. He picked up the game from there. Later he bought Chess Masters 2000 programme and started practicing with it. He still finds it a tough opponent.

But he has no aim and dont’s see himself getting among greats. He is a great fan of none other than Aishwarya Rai and Shahrukh Khan and plans to see Hamara Dil Aap Ke Pas Hai at an early opportunity.

Hassan is accompanied by joint secretary of Chess Fedration of Pakistan, M Hussein, who is also General Secretary of the North West Province Chess Association. Hussein was unsure of getting NOC from government to visit India because India had announced its withdrawal from Sahara Cup cricket tournament held annually in Toronto, Canada. But he was surprised when he got NOC immediately.

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Hussein says that despite no political will and Kargil, Pakistani Awam (people) has a great respect for Indians. “Insaallah we will have better understanding and cooperation”.