A SAVIOUR FORGOTTEN: I was surprised to see that the media completely missed the recent passing away of Air Cdre (retd) Sajjad Haider, known as the Saviour of Lahore. The man was a true giant among the greats who have ever served the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). From the merciless mauling of Indian armour, as it threatened Lahore, to his destruction of more than a dozen Indian Air Force aircraft at Pathankot, his exploits were legendary. ‘Nosey’, as he was known among friends, Sajjad Haider was the kind of hero our textbooks should be filled with.

Wasif M Khan
Lahore

SNOOKER CHAMPION: Veteran Pakistani cueist Mohammad Asif made history recently by clinching the third South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Snooker Championship held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Asif dominated the final, defeating Sri Lanka’s Thaha Irshath 5-0. According to media reports, the victory marked his eighth career title, solidifying his position as one of the region’s top amateur snooker players. Asif is the second Pakistani to win the Saarc Snooker Championship, following Asjad Iqbal’s triumph in 2019. His achievement, indeed, brings pride to Pakistan, and he deserves appreciation for his dedication and hard work.

Muhammad Bakhtiyar
Turbat

RAISING GRANDMASTERS: An 18-year-old from India has recently earned the title of World’s Youngest Chess Champion. Undoubtedly, India boasts a strong chess presence, ranking second among the world’s top chess countries, with 85 grandmasters and an impressive average rating of 2,721. Unfortunately, Pakistan ranks 110th, with no grandmaster, and a rating of 2,120. In essence, the lack of opportunities, such as insu-fficient mainstream coverage, a shortage of national tournaments, and limited promotion of the sport, hinders the game’s progress in the country. No doubt, with the support of higher authorities and increased promotion of chess, we can have Pakistani grandmasters as well.

M. Ibtisam Haider
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2025