October 22, 2007	Monday	Shawwal 9, 1428

KARACHI, Oct 21: Former international cricket umpire Siddique Khan passed away in Lahore on Sunday afternoon following a heart attack.

Siddique, 60, stood in five One-day Internationals between 1990 and 1995 and acted as the TV replays official in three Tests and two One-day Internationals.He retired from the first-class panel on reaching the age of superannuation at the conclusion of the 2006-07 domestic season after being appointed in 1980-81. Respected by players and officials alike, Siddique, who was employed with Pakistan Customs, umpired 187 first-class matches.

The deceased left behind his wife, three daughters and three sons of which two — Khurram and Kashif have played first-class cricket. Kashif is currently leading Lahore Ravi in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy.

Meanwhile, the umpires’ fraternity has expressed their shock at the death of their former colleague. Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf, who are Pakistan’s representatives on the ICC elite panel of umpires, with Nadeem Ghauri, Riazuddin, Zameer Haider, Salim Badar, Mian Aslam, Afzaal Ahmed, Shakeel Khan, Iftikhar Malik and Rasheed Bhatti have all condoled with the bereaved family.