The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) organized a ceremony on Tuesday at the Pearl Continental Hotel (PC) Lahore to offer tributes to late Air Marshal(R) Nur Khan. Read this report from Ahmed Usman, our special representative in Pakistan.

By Ahmed Usman (3rd January, 2012)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) organized a ceremony on Tuesday at the Pearl Continental Hotel (PC) Lahore to offer tributes to late Air Marshal(R) Nur Khan.

Late Nur Khan served as the President of Board of Cricket Control Pakistan (BCCP) which was later renamed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and passed away on 15th December.

The event was widely attended by personalities from different walks of life especially the Pakistan Air Force, the world of Pakistan Cricket and Hockey. Attendees included the President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation Qasim Zia, former PCB Chairmen Shaharyar Khan, Tauqeer Zia, Khalid Mehmood. In addition Air Marshal (R) ZafarChaudhry, Air Vice Marshal (R) Tahir Khalid, Air Vice Marshal (R) and Farooq Umar were present.

Pakistan cricket was represented by former captains Rameez Raja and Intikhab Alam, whilst Aaqib Javed, Ijaz Ahmad, Mohammad Ilyas, Bushra Aitzaz, Sana Mir, Imtiaz Ahmad, Azhar Khan, Shafqat Rana, Shafiq Papa, Azhar Zaidi. In addition Amjad Islam Amjad also attended the event.

Addressing the occasion Chairman PCB Mr. Muhammad Zaka Ashraf highlighted the various services of late Nur Khan for Pakistan Cricket. While paying tribute to the legend the Chairman said that "Nur Khan brought wonders to the fields he was associated with. Nur Khan’s vision took sport in Pakistan to new heights."

Ashraf declared the legend as one of the best administrators of Cricket and stated “The sad demise of Air Marshal (R) Nur Khan has left a void which is difficult to be filled”.

PCB Chairman found similarities between the problems faced by Pakistan Cricket now with that of Nur Khan when he became the Chairman in 1980 and he vowed to follow in the footsteps of the late legend.

PCB chairman also stated "that the great achievements of Nur Khan were the idea of neutral umpires and bringing the Cricket World Cup to the Sub Continent."

Ashraf concluded the ceremony by appreciating the PCB for the great initiative of honoring the late legend Nur Khan.