LAHORE: The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has decided to raise the issue of not getting Indian visa for its hockey and shooting teams to participate in events being held in India at international level. This decision was taken at the general council meeting of the POA which was held, under its president Lt Gen (r) Syed Arif Hasan, here Monday. “The issue of not grant of visa by India to Pakistan national hockey and shooting teams, and many other sport teams came under discussion and it was decided to take up the case with international federations concerned which are organising such events in India. And the International Olympic Council (IOC) will also be approached to make sure that India issues visas without exercising any discrimination,” POA secretary general Muhammad Khalid Mahmood said Tuesday. Last month, Pakistan junior hockey team could not get the Indian visa and therefore could not take part in the Junior World Cup in Lucknow. “Participation of Pakistan in the 8th Asian Winter Games in Japan (Feb 19-26), 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Azerbaijan (May 12-22), 6th Commonwealth Youth Games in Bahamas (July 19-23) and 5th Asian Indoor Martial Art Games in Turkmenistan (Sept 17-27) was also discussed and approved during the general council meeting,” added Khalid. He further said that an Olympic academy was approved to be established at POA headquarters for holding of various courses, workshops, seminars and meetings. “The house decided to take all measures to organise the National Games in Quetta this year. The case of holding Beach Games in Gwadar-Karachi as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor by the Sindh Olympic Association and Pakistan Navy was also agreed by the house,” he added. The general council congratulated Major (r) Majid Waseem, the president of Pakistan Swimming Federation, for being elected a bureau member of the Asian Swimming Federation and Prof Painda Malik, senior vice-president of Pakistan Gymnastics Federation, for being elected as a council member of the International Gymnastics Federation in Tokyo. “It was also decided by the house that belt wrestling is a part of Pakistan Wrestling Federation, therefore, Pakistan Ju Jitsu Federation is not authorised to organise any activity of belt wrestling in Pakistan and abroad,” he concluded.