KARACHI: Hopes were high but apprehensions abound as Pakistan’s hockey squad flew out of Lahore for Paris in the early hours of Sunday to launch its campaign in the World Cup Qualifiers getting underway in the northern French city of Lille from October 31.

Pakistan - record four-time world champions - who have never missed a World Cup since its inception in 1971 are facing a do-or-die situation after coming agonizingly close to winning a direct berth for the 2010 World Cup to be played in New Delhi from February 28-March 13.

The Greenshirts could have made the cut for the World Cup by winning the Asia Cup in Malaysia last May but lost in a close final against Korea, who won a wicket to New Delhi.

Now the Pakistanis will have to win the six-nation Qualifiers in Lille which feature Japan, Poland, Russia, France and Italy to confirm a World Cup spot.

Pakistan won the inaugural World Cup in 1971 (Spain) before clinching three more titles in 1978 (Argentina), 1882 (Bombay) and 1994 (Australia).

Their preparatory plans for the Lille assignment received a major blow when they had to cancel a warm-up tour of Europe last month due to visa delays. They had planned to play eight matches in Poland, France and Belgium but had to scrap the tour after being told by the French authorities that they will take their time before processing the team’s visa applications.

However, there was finally some good news for the Lille-bound squad, when the French authorities issued a visa to young forward Abbas Haider on an urgent basis.

Pakistani officials were left looking for a replacement when it was learnt that Abbas - who returned home after playing professional hockey in Europe - needed a visa for the Lille assignment. Abbas’s German visa was due to expire on October 30, a day before the start of the Qualifiers.