Birdies in the air: Golf back in Pakistan after 11-year hitch

Birds were released over fairways and ceremonial drives were struck as international golf returned to Pakistan Thursday after an 11-year absence.

A full field of 132 players from around the globe were teeing up in the Asian Tour's UMA CNS Open Championship at Karachi Golf Club, the latest thawing of relations with the militancy-hit country that has spent years in the sporting wilderness.

"Coming back to Pakistan is a fantastic opportunity for us," Robert Andrew, event director of the Asian Tour told AFP, brushing off any security concerns.

"This is the starting point for future years after the success of this event." No major golf tour has visited Pakistan since 2007. The last scheduled tournament, in 2008, was cancelled after a wave of insurgent attacks.

"It is always good to be here as people are very lovely and friendly," said Australian golfer Marcus Both. "I came here 10 years ago. The perception is bad but in reality it is very different." The 2009 attack on Sri Lanka's bus in Lahore, in which eight people were killed, caused all sporting visits to be suspended.

But successful military operations in the country's northwest near the Afghan border and crackdowns in urban centres, including the restive port city of Karachi, have improved the situation.

The country has twice hosted the Pakistan Super League cricket finals featuring international stars plus successful limited-over series against Zimbabwe, a World XI and Sri Lanka in the past 18 months.

They cleared the way for more sports with squash, tennis and now golf having returned.

- Walls come down -
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