KARACHI: Around two dozen international wrestlers will be visiting Pakistan next month to take part in Pakistan’s second international professional wrestling event which will take place in August across various Pakistani venues. Well-known wrestlers Bram, Tiny Iron, Pram and Chardonhay attended a press conference in London with Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Syed Ibne Abbas and Imran Shah, CEO of Ring of Pakistan (ROP), the company behind the wrestling event. Labour MP from Bradford Imran Hussain also attended the event. Imran Shah had organised the first-ever pro-event last year in Pakistan under the banner Pro Wrestling Entertainment (PWE) but now the company has been renamed as the Ring of Pakistan (ROP). As many as 25 wrestlers from all over the world including USA, UK, Germany, France and Belgium will visit Pakistan in August this year. Abbas told the wrestlers that Pakistan fans loved wrestling and looked forward to their participation in these matches. He said that wrestling used to be very popular in Pakistan but over the last few decades it declined as no attention was paid to the powerful sport. Abbas hoped that the wrestling event in August this year would help revive wrestling in Pakistan. He said that Pakistan youth was keen on healthy sports and lots of youth were turning to body-building and healthy lifestyle. Imran said that the decision to hold the second annual wrestling national event had been taken to project Pakistan’s positive image and to “shun the negativity that exists about Pakistan.” He said that there was a perception in some sections that Pakistan isn’t safe but stressed that the wrestlers who visited Pakistan last year were raring to go back. “We want to promote Pakistan as a sports-loving country.” Imran claimed that Pakistan Army had assured him of full support for the safety of the events. He said that the event this year would be better than the last year’s as “we learnt a lot of lessons at the last event which was a big success and helped us learn a lot.” He announced that four international wrestlers would be visiting Pakistan in July where a press conference would be held in which details about the grand wrestling event would be revealed. “We will reveal names of the venues and full line-up of more than two dozen wrestlers who will be taking part in the matches.” Tiny Iron, who performed in Pakistan last year, said going to Pakistan was going to meet “my family.” He said in his message: “Lahore Lahore ay, hello Pakistan I am coming again. I am coming to meet my cousins and brothers and sisters. I cannot wait to be back in Pakistan and I am so excited.” Badshah Khan, Bram and Chardhonhay said they were excited to be back in Pakistan. They said playing in Pakistan in front of their fans will be a huge honour for them. The wrestlers said that wrestling was a multi-billion dollar international sports industry and there was an opportunity for Pakistan to benefit from it. They agreed that playing in Pakistan was exciting for them and they always wished to visit Pakistan, meet its people and interact with their fans. Published in Daily Times, June 13th 2018.