Taimur Hassan, secretary of the Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF), told Arab News in an interview on Wednesday that he would hold talks with top officials of the Indian Golf Union (IGU) in Geneva later this summer to promote 'stronger golfing ties' between the two neighbors.

"We have good relations with India's golf fraternity as we keep meeting each other every now and then at international forums and competitions," said Taimur, one of Pakistan's most successful golfers.

"I will be meeting a top representative from India in Geneva in August and will discuss the possibility of promoting stronger golfing ties between Pakistan and India," he said.

While Indian golf has progressed enormously over the past decade or so, the sport hasn't really taken off in Pakistan.

At a time when top Indian stars like Jeev Milkha Singh are making the headlines in the world of golf, top Pakistani pros like Shabbir Iqbal are not even competing in professional events at the regional level.

One of the main points on Taimur's agenda when he meets an IGU official on the sidelines of the Rolex Open in Geneva in August will be to try and get berths for Shabbir and his compatriot Muhammad Munir on the 2011 Indian Open.

"I will see whether something can be worked out so that Shabbir and Munir can play in the Indian Open. It will be a great platform for the duo," he said.

The 48th edition of the Indian Open will make its return onto the Asian Tour from October 13-16 with a record prize purse of US$1.5 million. It will be the richest full-field Asian Tour event, which means that India's national championship will feature prominently on the Asian Tour schedule for the next three years.

Launched in 1964 Indian Open has unearthed many of the country's finest talents, including the likes of Arjun Atwal, Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa and Gaganjeet Bhullar.

The Indian Open has also attracted a stellar field of international players in the past such as Daniel Chopra of Sweden, New Zealand's Mark Brown and Australia's Darren Beck.

Apart from trying to get Indian Open spots for the country's top two pros, Taimur will also make efforts to help revive the Kirloskar Trophy - a prestigious tournament that featured top golfers from Pakistan and India.

"The Kirlosker Trophy is a great event and deserves to be revived," said Taimur. "It can once again provide a great platform to golfers from both countries to play against each other and promote healthier sporting ties."

The Kirlosker Trophy used to be an annual feature but hasn't been played since the 2007 edition. It became one of the victims of the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

In the 2007 Kirlosker Trophy that took place in December at the Islamabad Golf Club, India defeated Pakistan to retain the title. The Indians were supposed to host the 2008 edition.