Pakistan's first-ever snooker academy inaugurated in Faisalabad

By Syed Khalid Mahmood 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

While cricket and hockey continue to test the patience of the sports enthusiasts in Pakistan, the progress being made in the game snooker provides some consolation. At a time when the hockey team failed to even qualify for the World Cup and the cricketers struggled to overcome the lowly-rated Zimbabwe there was some ray of hope for the country to seek further glories in snooker.

The industrial town of Faisalabad, which is home to the current world snooker champion, Mohammad Asif, has now taken the lead in establishing the first-ever snooker academy of the country. It was in the fitness of things that Asif was present in the inauguration ceremony as the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) inked a deal with the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF), for establishing academy on September 14. 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, President, PBSA, and Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan, Vice Chancellor, UAF, in a high-profile ceremony at the campus on Saturday in the presence of Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Minister for Inter Provincial Co-ordination (IPC). 

Syed Amir Hamza Gilani, Director General, Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and Dr Akhter Nawaz Ganjera, Director General (Technical & Training), PSB, were also present on the occasion while the Snooker & Billiards Association of Punjab (SBAP) was represented by its President, Naveed Ahmed, and Secretary, Shahzad Riaz Choudhary.

According to the PBSA media release,  the welcome speech by its President, Alamgir Shaikh who requested the IPC Minister to use his good offices to donate a couple of tables from the Ministry since the PBSA had planned to install four tables for the Academy but only two could be arranged due to financial constraints. 

The PBSA President thanked the Vice Chancellor UAF for providing the University Hall for the Academy and praised the management for their wholehearted co-operation in turning the dream of a snooker academy into reality. 

The Vice Chancellor, Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan, acknowledged the efforts of the PBSA in establishing this academy which he said was a big achievement and assured the Minister that the University of Agriculture will always be ready for any sports activity in the premises. He also offered a job to world champion Mohammad Asif at the university. 

The IPC Minister, Riaz Pirazada, in his speech, recognized the initiatives of the PBSA and the UAF for setting up the snooker academy. He praised the efforts of the PBSA for the promotion of snooker in Pakistan and lauded the cueists for their achievements in international competitions which made the country proud.

The Minister announced that the two tables to the Faisalabad Snooker Academy will be provided by the Ministry of Inter Provincial Co-ordination in addition to the already installed two) tables by the PBSA. Furthermore, the Minister also gave assurance on behalf of the federal government that Mohammad Asif will soon get his entitlement of the cash award of Rs. 10 Million as per Sports Policy. 

The Snooker Academy Hall was declared officially open by the IPC Minister by cutting the ribbon and playing a shot on the snooker table. 

The PBSA President proposed that the name of the Hall provided by the UAF for the Snooker Academy be named Muhammad Asif Snooker Hall. The Vice Chancellor agreed to the proposal and assured to take approval of the said proposal from the Board of the UAF.

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Asjad retains NBP trophy by toppling world champion in epic final

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Asjad Iqbal had done it before, having overpowered Mohammad Asif in the final of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Ranking Snooker Championship. But the victory at the NBP Sports Complex in Karachi on August 27, 2013 tasted sweeter for he had now outwitted the reigning world champion.

Asif had his moments in the epic final but the lady luck was smiling on the young Asjad who won the thriller 8-7 with the frame scores of 66-10, 82-35, 66-65, 49-72, 0-123, 66-57, 58-82, 14-92, 60-68, 83-40, 50-63, 75-48, 36-57, 64-25, 67-40. 

Sponsors NBP could not have asked for a better outcome of the event. Both the finalists belonged to them. The final lasted almost six and half hours and the both the contestants were exhausted in the closing stages of the marathon battle. 

The NBP tournament continued to bring good fortune to the 21-year-old Asjad, who has now won the title three times in last four editions. The lad from Sargodha kept his cool until the end, not having shown any signs of nerves while coming to terms with the world champion. His body language remained positive throughout the final. 

The 31-year-old Asif, hailing from Faisalabad, had reasons to feel hard done by the rub of the green going the way of his opponent but he was sporting enough to praise him publicly for having withstood the pressure of a final. 

Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Commissioner Karachi, was the chief guest in the presentation ceremony, which was delayed by an hour due to the extended duration of the final. Iqbal Qasim, Divisional Head Sports & CSR, and Qamar Hussain, Divisional Head HR, of NBP were also present on the occasion alongwith Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, Munawwar Hussain Shaikh and Abdul Wahid Qadir, the top officials of the Pakistan Billiards &  Snooker Association (PBSA). 

In his welcome speech, the PBSA President wholeheartedly acknowledged the support of the print as well as the electronic media in raising the status of snooker. He didn’t make a mention of digital media, however.

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Nadeem Omar’s jackpot for snooker world champion

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

World snooker champion, Mohammad Asif, received an unexpected jackpot when Nadeem Omar, a sports promoter and philanthropist, presented him a cheque of Rs two million in a ceremony organized in his honour by Omar Associates at the Karachi Gymkhana on August 26.

The hurriedly arranged function, which was planned less than 48 hours ago, brought broad smiles on the face of the Faisalabad-based Asif for whom it was the single biggest purse to be received after bringing home the world title last December. 

Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, President, Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA), eulogized Nadeem Omar for his sporting act of honouring the snooker world champion in such a splendid manner. 

“Hats off to him for choosing to reward our world champion so gracefully. We have been made to run from pillar to post to procure the cash awards announced for Asif by the various other personalities but Nadeem Omar stands out not only for the amount of money but also for the admirable manner in which he has done so,” the PBSA President recognized. 

Alamgir Shaikh made a special mention of journalist Nabeel Hashmi for having played the pivotal role in making the award possible for the world champion. 

Nadeem Omar, who has been more famous and active in the cricketing circles, having served as the Vice President of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) besides managing the Omar Associates and the Omar Cricket Club, paid glowing tribute to Asif for earning glory for the country. 

“There was a time when Pakistan held four world titles simultaneously. But right now we only have one title which has been made possible by Asif. We should encourage our national heroes in order to let them perform even better at the international stage to earn more glories for the country,” he remarked. 

 “I became concerned to know about Asif’s plight in getting the rewards which were announced following his triumph in the World Snooker Championship. I also read in the newspapers of him being not able to pursue his professional goals due to financial constraints. This is our token contribution to the national cause,” Nadeem Omar stated. 

“I do hope that Asif will fulfill his dream of transforming into a professional from being an amateur. He has tremendous potential. He is young and energetic. I am confident that he will continue earning glories for himself and the country. Let’s continue extending him the desired support,” he added. 

Asif, in his brief speech, acknowledged the national spirit of Nadeem Omar and expressed the hope that others will derive inspiration from him for the sake of sports. He also thanked the PBSA for facilitating him. He reiterated his desire to enter the professional snooker circuit. 

“It’s my dream and I will fulfill it soon,” he declared. The luncheon ceremony, which began at 2.30 pm, was attended by the top officials of the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) which included its Senior Vice President, Abdul Wahid Qadir, and Honorary Secretary, Munawwar Hussain Shaikh.

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The pioneer of cricket coaching in Pakistan is no more

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The pioneer of cricket coaching in Pakistan, Ahmed Mustafa, breathed his last on August 10. He was 69. Although he had been laid low by various diseases over the years which severely affected his mobility for the last few years it was a freak accident a day earlier which became the cause of his death. 

According to the family members, Ahmed Mustafa, who had founded Cricket Coaching Centre, the first-ever cricket academy in Pakistan in 1987, was unusually hale and hearty on the morning on August 9 when he also telephoned a few close friends to extend Eid greetings. 

It was during this process, around 12 noon, when he fell suddenly while approaching the telephone set in the TV lounge. It could not be found whether he suffered a stroke or he lost his balance due to some other reason. His head hit the edges of a wooden chair and he collapsed instantly. He was rushed to the hospital in unconscious condition where the doctors carried out various tests including CT scan. 

The family members were informed about the serious nature of the head injury as he was placed in the intensive care unit of the Plastic Surgery Hospital on Shaheed-e-Millat where all his previous medical records were available. His condition deteriorated and he was put on ventilator at midnight. He didn’t respond to the numerous attempts made to revive his breath. At about 5 am he was pronounced dead. 

Upon hearing the sad news, quite a few friends, the majority of them being cricketers, rushed at the family residence of Ahmed Mustafa in PECHS at a short notice. They included Asif Ahmed, Mahmood-ul-Hasan, Nasim-ul-Ghani, Iqbal Umar, Brig Salahuddin, Mirza Masroor Ahmed, Khalid Rafiq, Jalaluddin, Salahuddin Ahmed, Faisal Iqbal, Mohammad Javed, Wajihuddin and Ali Hussain. He was laid to rest in the DHA Phase I graveyard after Asr prayers. 

Nasim-ul-Ghani, a former Test all-rounder, who has also headed the national selection committee besides holding other administrative posts in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the years, was among the last persons to have talked to Ahmed Mustafa with whom he had an association for more than five decades. 

“It’s shocking. I can’t believe it. He was talking in such a relaxed manner. We talked for quite sometime as we usually used to do. I never knew that it would be our final conversation,” the visibly upset Nasim-ul-Ghani remarked. 

Asif Ahmed, another former cricketer and probably the closest friend of Ahmed Mustafa, alongwith Mahmood-ul-Hasan, was also shell-shocked at what he described as sudden death caused by a freak accident. 

“Just one day before his death I had driven him to an automobile workshop at Tariq Road. He was very keen to have his car fixed before Eid. He was mighty pleased when the mechanic did the job to his satisfaction. Little did we know that he actually desired his family car to return to order in his lifetime which indeed was done,” Asif Ahmed narrated in choked voice.

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Irfan Mirza’s tribute to Munir Hussain

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Irfan Mirza, a veteran sports administrator, has paid glowing tribute to Munir Hussain, the famous Urdu commentator, who expired in Karachi on July 29. 

“He was blessed with quite a few outstanding qualities. I had the privilege of knowing him closely for four decades. Our first meeting had taken place in 1970 when I was working at UBL’s Nursery branch. We became friends in 1975 and we remained friends all along. In fact we were due to have another meal together soon after Eid but unfortunately it won’t be happening now,” Irfan Mirza, who headed the sports division of United Bank Limited (UBL) for a number of years since its inception, remarked in a choked voice. 

“Munir Bhai was basically a very kind person who was soft-hearted as well. He used to break into tears when he saw people in distress. His columns in Daily Jang by the name of ‘Yun Bhi Zindagi Guzarti Hai’ brought to light the miseries of ordinary folks. He was deeply concerned for the less privileged persons and he tried to help them in every possible manner,” he recalled. 

“Munir Bhai cared for his friends. He was always there to lend a helping hand, be it just an advice or some practical support. He was like an elder brother to me. He was just a call away whenever I needed him. He guided me at various critical stages. He was always willing to help which is quality not commonly found these days. I will miss him a lot,” he added. 

Irfan Mirza, one of the rare breed of gentlemen who believe in doing things gracefully rather than keeping others guessing, had immortalized himself by building the dream UBL Sports Complex in the heart of Karachi in 1993. Although he is no more with the bank, the sports complex, one of its kind, reminds of his awesome management capabilities that enabled him to accomplish the gigantic task against the heaviest of odds.

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Mohammad Adil Usman: From badminton champion to chancellor

By Syed Khalid Mahmood  
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sports and games have been a very distinctive feature of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) right from the days of the Muslim Anglo Oriental (MAO) College. Historically the college became more famous initially due to the accomplishments of its sportsmen rather than for the academic excellence. 

With such a strong background in sports, the institution has remained a nursery for outstanding sportsmen and players all along and the tradition has continued with great fervour. The Aligarhians, as the alumni of the AMU are often called, have done wonders in many other fields too.

Engr Mohammad Adil Usman, who was an outstanding badminton player during his student life, has become one of the leading engineers and educationists of Pakistan.

He was elected as the President of the Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA), Pakistan, in April 2013 when he also took over as the Chancellor of the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi. 

A great grandson of the legendary Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, he has set high standards in every sphere of life. He has excelled in every role he chose for himself and he takes pride in leading by example.

Engr Adil Usman, besides playing badminton, also actively participated in the table tennis, cricket, hockey and billiards at the AMU whose sporting culture inspired him immensely. 

On the basis of his exceptional performance, he was appointed the captain of the AMU’s badminton team for the academic year 1965-66. It’s a hounor he cherishes to this day.

He has every reason to feel proud of his sporting accomplishment at the AMU because it had so many outstanding athletes in its folds and he was also one of the shining lights.

He recalled that the sports and games activities were organized under the patronage of the University Games Committee with Vice-Chancellor as the chairman. 

The University Games Committee consisted of main clubs and sub clubs. The AMU has had separate fields for cricket, hockey, football, tennis, riding and athletics. Indoor facilities like billiards, chess, carom, table tennis, swimming and badminton were also available for boys and girls students separately. 

“Our sporting facilities were exceptional and we were encouraged to participate in maximum number of disciplines. Although we didn’t have the services of professional coaches those days we did have the opportunity of learning from our seniors in the available infrastructure,” Engr Adil Usman remarked in a recent interview. 

“I was more inclined towards my engineering education which didn’t allow me to continue playing badminton to take part in the national tournaments. That’s one of those things. You have to make odd sacrifices,” he observed. 

He, however, remains a great supporter of sports. He firmly believes that character-building of students is much important as their education at any level. He reckons that education without character is like a flower without fragrance and education isn’t mere textbook knowledge. 

The SSUET Chancellor pointed out that character is an amalgam of many qualities like honesty, integrity, dependability, diligence, loyalty, compassion, sincerity, attentiveness, determination and confidence. 

“Good character is when your head, heart, soul and hands agree to do the right thing, in the right way, for the right reasons and the combined effort gets the right results in the midst of the most adverse conditions,” he elaborated. 

“As a matter of fact education in the true sense has a great role to play in shaping ones personality and character. Let a student learn thoroughly whatever he may learn and let his conduct be worthy of his learning,” he emphasized.

Engr Adil Usman, having graduated from the AMU in the discipline of Electrical Engineering in 1968, is the Chief Executive of the Associated Technical Consultants, a renowned engineering consulting firm. He has been taking active interest in the promotion of technical education in Pakistan besides his other social sector engagements. He is the founder member of the SSUET having been a member of the Board of Governors for the last many years.

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Jalaluddin prepares Karachi Under-15 Grassroots Players Development Programme

By Syed Khalid Mahmood  
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Former Test fast bowler and Level-IV cricket coach, Jalaluddin, has prepared a plan by the name of Karachi Under-15 Grassroots Players Development Programme aimed improving the standard of the game on a long-term basis. 

The programme, to be spread over three months, could be organized at a total cost of Rupees five million to extract the top 20 cricketers of the city below the age of 15 years. Jalaluddin, who is the highest qualified coach of the country, has developed the plan which is tailor-made for the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) which has seven zones in its folds. 

According to the programme, in the first phase, all the seven zones will be required to send their top 30 players for selection to the panel of coaches to be headed by Jalaluddin and having a few other qualified and trained coaches. 

The coaches of panel will shortlist 20 players from each zone and the selected lot of 140 cricketers will be taking a coaching programme of one month, three days a week, in the second phase. The focus, during the one-month coaching programme, will be on basic skill development, game sense training, fitness programme and team building. 

In the third phase, the seven zones will be engaged in a tournament to be played on single league basis in which 21 matches will be contest over a period of two weeks. The matches will be played on alternate days and they would be 40-overs-a-side contest. 

In the fourth and final phase, to be spread over one month, the selection of the best players will be made on the basis of their performance. The selected 20 cricketers will be taking two-week training in an advance camp before undertaking a tour of the Punjab or abroad for a couple of weeks. At the end of the programme the performance of the selected cricketers will be evaluated for future planning.

Jalaluddin, who is expected to submit the plan to the KCCA as soon as the new office-bearers are elected sometime in August, appeared confident about its approval and subsequent implemented. “It’s wholly in the interest of Karachi cricket. 

The objective of this plan basically is to produce quality cricketers on a consistent basis. Ideally the pilot project should start as early as September. I am quite positive that the KCCA would be facilitating the project,” he hoped. 

“There has been a lot of cricket played in Karachi but the quality has remained an issue and the city has not produced a decent number of outstanding cricketers despite the abundance of talent. This has happened because mostly cricket is being played for fun or recreation. By introducing this programme we desire to let our boys get an exposure to professional coaching from the age of 15,” Jalaluddin explained. 

“When these boys will grow, having played quality cricket under the supervision of qualified coaches they will obviously be in a better position to perform at higher levels. That’s the core objective. Our youngsters should be getting proper guidance and training for unfolding their skills,” he added.

Jalaluddin, having vast coaching experience, was convinced that a revolution of sorts will be brought about if the plan was carried out every year which will ensure a very bright future for the cricketers of Karachi, who will feel much more comfortable graduating to the higher levels.

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Urdu Cricket Commentary will never be same again without Munir Hussain

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Although it could not be resolved if Munir Hussain was the founder of cricket commentary in Urdu, with Bashir Ahmad Khan having his own credentials to be the one, but not many people will disagree about him being the best in business for a very long time indeed.

Munir Hussain, who immortalised himself with Urdu cricket commentary, is no more. He breathed his last in Karachi on July 29 at the age of 83. He was being missed in the commentators’ box for quite sometime due to his illness. His death has saddened the cricket community in particular. 

There were a few other facets as well which had made him one of the most sought after cricket personalities of the country. 

His weekly columns in Daily Jang, the largest circulated daily newspaper of Pakistan, which continued for decades, was read and followed with great interest. He launched his own monthly cricket magazine in Urdu by the name of ‘Akhbar-e-Watan’ in the 1970s which turned to be a success story from the outset because of its content and the variety that caught the imagination of the masses. 

‘The Cricketer Pakistan’ remained the first-choice cricket magazine for the serious-minded followers of the game but ‘Akhbar-e-Watan’ was the market leader mainly because of Munir Hussain who put together a literature of different class.

He was an enthusiastic cricketer in his younger days, having played for the Jang Cricket Club for a number of years. He also went on to play a first-class match. A right-arm medium-pacer, he played his only first class game for Qalat District in 1969-70, taking two wickets against Quetta in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. 

He was proactive in the administration of the game for more than half a century and he was elected the President of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) in the 1990s. He has become the second former KCCA President, after Dr Mohammad Ali Shah, to have expired during the current year. 

Munir Hussain’s fame and recognition had come his way largely due to Urdu cricket commentary in which he stood head and shoulders above his contemporaries. His voice was crisp and distinct which was tailormade for radio. He did commentary for television as well for a number of years rising to the status of a legend. 

With the trio of three great commentators, Omar Kureishi, Iftikhar Ahmed and Chishty Mujahid, charming the audience with English of the highest class, it was Munir Hussain who provided it the much needed balance with his broadcasts in Urdu. That was a golden era for cricket commentary in Pakistan when these four legends were there in the box. 

Mainly because of his commentary Munir Hussain was a household name all over Pakistan. His popularity went a long way in creating a massive circulation base for ‘Akhbar-e-Watan’ which is believed to have crossed the magical figure of 50,000 copies on quite a few occasions.

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