Pakistan shooting body wants two quotas dropped from New Delhi WC, ISSF terms situation 'urgent'

Denied visas in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, the Pakistan's shooting federation Wednesday wrote to the international body, asking it to drop the two 25m rapid fire pistol quotas for 2020 Olympics, in the season-opening World Cup here.

The terror attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel, had cast a doubt on Pakistan shooters' participation in the tournament, starting Saturday, in the Indian capital.

"The ISSF has received a letter from the Pakistan federation, requesting it not to offer quota places in the events their shooters were scheduled to participate. This is what the ISSF secretary general said," a National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) official said.

Pakistan had applied for visas for two shooters -- G M Bashir and Khalil Ahmed -- in the rapid fire category as the event in New Delhi also serves as a qualifier for the 2020 Olympic games.

Both International Shooting Sport Federation president Vladimir Lisin and secretary general Alexander Ratner are here for the mega