Pakistan Deaf team, which last year competed in the World Cup Deaf Cricket in Australia, would also participate in the next World Cup, scheduled in South Africa in I999, said the chairman. The selection process of the national team starts with an all-Pakistan Deaf Cricket Tournament with matches in Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad in 1998 . The team would be selected on the basis of the players' performances in the tournament, he stated.

Besides Pakistan, Australia, the 1996 champions, India, Bangladesh, West Indies, U. K, New Zealand , Sri Lanka and hosts South Africa would be taking part in the 1999 World Cup deaf cricket, said the chairman. Mr Gulzar further stated that the PDSC has planned to establish deaf centres in Karachi, Lahore and other places and sought government support and help in solving the problems of the deaf community of the country. The PDSC has advised the deaf sports men and women to register themselves with the body.

However, the Press conference was marred by controversy when the present secretary Mohammad Muneef Jan Sarhandi criticised the PDSC eight-member Central Executive Committee for replacing him after Pakistan team returned after participation in the World Deaf Games, held in Copenhagen last month. The council enjoys the power to change the office-bearers and Muneef, who was named secretary about a few months ago, was critical of the move, underway for his removal. He said Pakistan first time took part in the World Deaf Games in which no less than 70 countries competed. The Pakistan team consisted of ten members and we participated in athletics, badminton , swimming, shooting and bowling but our performance was not up to expectations, said the secretary, who was the head of the contingent. The squad faced financial problem during its stay in Copenhagen, he said, adding that the Pakistani community helped a lot in solving their problems. He refuted all allegations being made against him after the team's return from Denmark.