LAHORE: P&T Gymkhana patron Khalid Mahmood, world’s leading Test umpire Aleem Dar and president of gymkhana Azhar Zaidi on Saturday appealed to the government to confer civilian award ‘Sitara-e-Shujaat’ on famous Pakistan cricket umpire Ahsan Raza for bravely saving the life of ICC match referee Chris Broad during the deadly terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009 in Lahore.

During a function held at the LCCA ground to honour the meritorious services of both Aleem and Ahsan who are also members of the P&T Gymkhana, Khalid said Ahsan deserves ‘Sitara-e-Shujaat’, adding “the P&T Gymkhana would raise its voice for this cause”.

“The government should include Ahsan’s name for the award who received bullets [in abdomen] while protecting [Englishman] Broad during the Lahore attack,” Khalid, who is also a former PCB chairman, recalled.

Ahsan later recovered after undergoing long medical treatment at a hospital in Lahore.

Speaking on the occasion, the 53-year-old Aleem said Ahsan richly deserves the award for his bold act and hoped that the government would respond positively to his appeal.

Meanwhile, Aleem urged the Pakistan Cricket Board to allocate maximum funds for promoting club cricket noting it was the basic nursery to produce cricketers.

“The P&T Gymkhana groomed Ahsan and me, both as cricketers and umpires. If the PCB spends adequate funds on club cricket they would produce more capable cricketers, umpires, referees and scorers,” Aleem stated.

The 47-year-old Ahsan thanked the P&T Gymkhana for his grooming and added what he had received was all due to the patronage of Khalid and Azhar.

Expressing his views at the function, Azhar said the P&T Gymkhana would stage a big show in the honour of both Aleem and Ahsan and in this regard it was trying to invite Prime Minister Imran Khan to grace the occasion.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2021