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LAHORE: Imran Khan has paid rich tribute to umpire Aleem Dar for enlightening the name of the country in the world of cricket.
Imran was speaking at a reception held by Panthers and Tigers Club, in honour of the umpire. Aleem belongs to the P and T Gymkhana.
“I like to congratulate Aleem for his good work in the World Cup as it has provided an opportunity to the nation to feel proud,” he said.
He said Aleem had also defeated the technology with his decisions and it was a unanimous opinion of the renowned cricketers that Aleem was the best umpire.
He said the World Cup had always been a big event and only those could survive who sustain pressure.
Aleem faced it masterfully and had the Pakistan team also faced the same pressure in similar fashion the result would have been different, he added.
“Like Aleem Dar many talented cricketers and umpires are living in this country and we just have to make such a system which can provide them fair chances to show their mettle,” he said.
PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and many other renowned personalities attended the function.
Ijaz Butt also praised Aleem's achievement for the country and hailed the efforts of the organisers of the event.
He said others should also come forward to honour Aleem. He said Aleem was a great Pakistani and he had made the nation proud.
Former chief selectors Salahuddin Ahmad Sallu and Abdul Qadir also paid tribute to Aleem.
Salahuddin said though the Pakistan team performed well in the World Cup as it entered the semi-final, Aleem excelled in it as a real hero from Pakistan.
He said with his accurate judgment, Aleem defeated the modern gadgets as not a single decision from him was overturned.
“An umpire has fraction of a second to give his judgment and that is not an easy job,” he said.
Abdul Qadir also hailed the performance of Aleem.
He said every Pakistani should be proud of Aleem as he was the best umpire of the world.
He said Aleem had been maintaining this feat for the last many years which was not a small achievement.
Later, patron of the P and T Gymkhana and PCB's former chairman Khalid Mahmood said 11 decisions of Dar were referred to the third umpire during the World Cup but none of them was reversed and that showed the accuracy of his judgments.
At the end Imran Khan decorated Aleem with a golden crown and Ijaz Butt offered him a gold medal on behalf of LCCA secretary Mian Javed Ali.
Aleem announced Rs1 million for Imran Khan's flood-relief fund.
