KARACHI, Jan 8: Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir, on Sunday paid glowing tributes to Roshan Khan and termed his contribution to the promotion of squash ‘unparallel’. ‘He was a hero and Navy was proud of his long association with it’, he told Dawn after the prize distribution ceremony of National Rifle Shooting championship at PN Bahadur.

Recalling his personal association with the former British Open squash champion, the CNS said he had learnt finer points of the game from the deceased from 1967 to 69 as a young officer at PN Himalaya.

Roshan Khan, he said, devoted his entire life for the cause of game and his untiring efforts bore fruitful results when his son, Jahangir Khan, rose to fame globally.

When asked whether Navy would take the lead by instituting a tournament after the late hero, the CNS replied: Navy had already named a squash complex after Roshan and Jahangir, in the city and would consider staging a tournament at an appropriate time.

He said Navy did not lag behind and did whatever it could during his hospitalisation at PNS Shifa.