LAHORE: Nawab Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, the chief executive of the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), passed away late on Thursday due to cardiac arrest. He was 70.

His funeral prayer will be held at Race Course Park, Polo Ground, Jail Road, Lahore on Saturday (today) at 11:00am, and he will be buried in his ancestral town of Multan.

The PVCA condoled the tragic death of Ashiq.

“We are all shattered and in grief since we heard the news of Ashiq’s death. He felt pain in chest and was rushed to hospital at around 10:00pm on Thursday night. He died on the way to hospital,” a press release issued by the PVCA quoted its chairman Fawad Ijaz Khan as saying.

An active person in sports field, Ashiq, who had been the PVCA chief executive since 2006, joined the PVCA in 1998 one year after its formation. The association featured several former Pakistan Test cricketers who played matches in the country besides touring abroad.

A thorough gentleman and active cricketer of veterans, Ashiq was involved in a number of social and philanthropic activities. He was also Honorary consul general of France in Lahore. He has left behind wife and four daughters.

Ashiq was the son of late Nawab Sadiq Hussain Qureshi, former Governor Punjab, and the first cousin of incumbent Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Ashiq also worked for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s institution namely Imran Foundation under which some sports projects related to football in Chitral and in other parts of the country were also included.

PM Imran expressed his profound sorrow over the demise of Ashiq.

“Devastated by the death of one of my oldest friends Ashiq Qureshi last night. He was always there during my many setbacks in life. Was the first to stand by me when I decided to build SKMT and was a PTI founder member. Above all, he will be missed as a gentleman and great human being,” Imran said in a tweet message.

Meanwhile, the PVCA has cancelled the Northern Regional final and National Seniors final which were to be played on Nov 3 and 10, respectively.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2019