LAHORE: National volleyball team`s captain Murad Jehan wants an international league in Pakistan, saying it will help the local players sharpen their skills while facing stronger opponents.

`Though six, seven Pakistan players are competing [currently] in different international leagues, the players who are not getting chances in these leagues, have to play with local contestants which is destroying their game,` Murad told reporters at a reception hosted in the honour of the Pakistan team in Lahore on Saturday for winning silver medal in the Asian Volleyball Championship held in Bahrain earlier this month.

`A volleyball league in Pakistan is necessary in order to give all the players better opportunities to improve their skill set. This league will give our players a chance to face the challenge from international-level competitors,` Murad said.

`It [the league] will also [help] produce a nursery of volleyball players in the country.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Volleyball Federation chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob said the international league will be held by the end of this year.

`Our marketing company is working very actively and we are very close to engaging a major sponsor [firm], and Inshallah the international league in Pakistan will start by the end of this year,` Yaqoob told media.

`Having signed [a contract] with a major sponsor, PVF`s top priority will not be to introduce the league only but also arrange series for Pakistan`s senior team world`s higher-ranked sides as our target is to qualify for the World Cup and Olympics as well,` he added.

`Our team won silver medal in Bahrain [recently]. We also win 3-0 against Qatar who are world No. 4 team. They have hired the players from countries like Brazil. Therefore, beating Qatar is a big sign [of improvement] for Pakistan volleyball,` he said.

`Our international ranking has also improved after winning the silver medal.

Speaking on the occasion, Murad said that Pakistan`s next assignment was the Islamic Solidarity Games, adding the PVF should hold a training camp at the earliest for the said games where Pakistan would be looking to claim gold medal.

The captain highlighted that the national team`s volleyball players were facing lack of essential facilities.

`There was no air conditioner in the hall [for training] because of which we were compelled to train under 45 degrees. Whereas we played in Bahrain under 20 or 21 degree,` he underlined.

`Moreover, there is an issue of [poor] lighting in the hall. On our part, we are trying to forget these hardships to give our best to earn a good name for our country,` Murad added.

Yaqoob admitted that the players had several complaints about the facilities and about the daily allowances they were getting during the camp.

`With limited resources, we are trying our best to increase resources for the welfare of our players,` he said.

Later, a cash prize of Rs1.5 million was distributed among the players of the national team and its management