LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) condoled the death of former hockey Olympian retired Col Zafar Ahmed Zafri, who passed away at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi on Saturday.

Zafri was a member of the Pakistan squad which won gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics and silver medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He performed as manager of the Pakistan team in the 1971 World Cup-1971. He also acted as PHF secretary from 1964 to 1967.

In different tenures, Zafri held positions on selection committee, coaching panel besides working as technical official. He was also included in the PHF Executive Board in 2010.

PHF president retired Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, secretary Asif Bajwa, selection committee chairman Manzoor Hussain Junior, selectors Kaleemullah, Khalid Hameed, Ayaz Mahmood and other former Olympians including Akhtar Rasool, Samiullah Khan, Col Mudassar Asghar, Khawaja Junaid, Nasir Ali, Wasim Feroz and Qasim Zia condoled the death.

Meanwhile, POA president retired Lt Gen Syed Arif Hasan and secretary Khalid Mahmood also offered their condolences on the sad demise of the Olympian.

While praising the services of Col Zafri for the game of hockey in different roles, they prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2021