ISLAMABAD, March 4: It is always the most memorable day for an individual and so was it for Kashif Tassaduq Cheema since the big day was fixed for March 3 (Saturday).

City’s hockey hero happily left for his would-be in-laws in Gujrat with his family and friends but tragedy awaited the lad en route who met an accident near Gujrat city, leaving sports lovers and hundreds of his batch mates gloomy.

Kashif was a university athlete who played for Bahria University, national-level hockey player featuring for Islamabad, captain of the Margalla Hockey Club, former hockey player for Pakistan Navy, captain of the winning team of Islamabad Model School for Boys F-8/3 which created a stir in 1999-2000.

“It was all going fine when during a wrong overtake on G.T. Road the groom’s car hit a tractor-trolley laden with bricks and he (Kashif) died on spot. Those who accompanied him returned to the capital the same day,” said Ilyas Ahmed, Kashif’s teammate.

Kashif, 26, represented Islamabad hockey team in several national events and played as centre forward and at times as right-in when the matches were tougher.

Holding a degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA) the brother of three, eldest in his clan, Kashif was working as financial analyst for a telecom company and lived with his family in Naval Complex Islamabad.

“Kashif had once featured for Pakistan Navy in a hockey event before joining the telecom company. I found him a man of integrity, spirit and sportsmanship,” shared Olympian Mohammad Akram, former Pakistan national rowing athlete who won a bronze medal in Asian Games 2002 held in South Korea.

Akram said that hockey was Kashif’s passion. “I know him since he was a four-year-old kid and his father, Tassaduq Cheema, an official in the Navy, bought him a hockey stick and the chap became a leading hockey player.”

Other than Akram, a number of former national athletes including hockey veteran Chaudhry Mohammad Abbas, of Al-Abbas Hockey Club, also attended his funeral.

Despite being part of the rival team, “I have always found him humble. During routine team practice on the turfs he never crossed the red line of discipline,” Abbas told the sombre gathering of his followers.

During his school days, Kashif was captain of F-8/3 Boys School team.

“The hockey team shot to fame in Federal Board Intermediate and Secondary Education inter-school contests because we were all short in stature but defeated several hockey teams having tall players,” said Usman Ali, a school friend of late Kashif.

“We were dubbed as “Chotay” (little ones) but Kashif’s heroics and leadership secured us fame in the school sports and we bagged wins against leading government schools,” said Ali.

Mohammad Ilyas, a former Bahria University class fellow of Kashif, said: “Our institution remained inter-university runner-up for two years when Kashif was an MBA student. Even two days before his wedding we played a community hockey final and won the match on penalty strokes.”

Death of a young son is indeed a tragedy for a father and the tragedy touches Greek heights if the deceased son is a shinning star like Kashif.

“I advised him not to play as you may get injured. Son your marriage is just two days away. But he featured in sports for the love of the game, his club and friends and now he is no more,” said his father, Tassaduq Cheema.

Though Kashif has left behind a large fan-base to follow his great sportsman spirit he will always be remembered for the same.