Scotland's world No6 John White has withdrawn from the $85,000 Bank Alfalah Pakistan Open Squash Championship after sustaining an injury to his right knee in the World Open in Qatar this week.

Australia's former world champion David Palmer is favourite to win the final PSA Super Series event of the year which begins tomorrow (4 December) in Islamabad.  Palmer is expected to meet No2 seed Nick Matthew in the final next Friday (10 December).

With the 2003 World Open in Lahore replacing the Pakistan Open last year, the reigning title-holder is the 2002 champion Jonathon Power.  The Canadian, seeded five, plays England's Peter Barker in the opening round and is expected to meet Palmer in the quarter-finals.

1st round draw:
[1] David Palmer (AUS) v Qualifier
[12] Dan Jenson (AUS) v Mansoor Zaman (PAK)
[5] Jonathon Power (CAN) v Peter Barker (ENG)
[11] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) v Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Shahier Razik (CAN)
[10] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) v Qualifier
[7] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Qualifier
[14] Renan Lavigne (FRA) v Yasir Butt (PAK)
[13] Ong Beng-Hee (MAS) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
[8] James Willstrop (ENG) v Alex Gough (WAL)
[15] Mark Chaloner (ENG) v Qualifier
[3] Amr Shabana (EGY) v Qualifier
[9] Adrian Grant (ENG) v Qualifier
[6] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) v Qualifier
[16] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Qualifier
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Davide Bianchetti (ITA)