Renowned cricket journalist Qamar Ahmed remembered

KARACHI, Jul 11 (APP): Legend Cricket Journalist, Commentator and former first-class cricketer Qamar Ahmed was remembered for his remarkable contributions to cricket journalism at a tribute ceremony held at the Arts Council of Pakistan on Friday.

The event, organized by the Sports Journalists Association Sindh in collaboration with the Arts Council of Pakistan, brought together former Test cricketers, senior sports journalists, cricket legends and close friends to pay homage to the veteran journalist, who passed away in June 2026 after suffering a cardiac ailment.

Tributes were delivered through video and audio messages by legendary cricketers Michael Holding, Sunil Gavaskar, Mushtaq Mohammad, Wasim Akram and Rashid Latif. Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, Sadiq Mohammad, Jalaluddin, Shoaib Mohammad, journalist Awais Touheed, Arts Council President Ahmed Shah, senior journalist Mazhar Abbas, Rishad Mehmood and office-bearers of the Sports Journalists Association Sindh also addressed the gathering, describing Qamar Ahmed as a man of integrity, professionalism and exceptional character.

The speakers said Qamar Ahmed was a versatile personality whose passion for cricket defined his illustrious career. They noted that he excelled as a first-class cricketer, earned international recognition as a cricket journalist and commentator, covered more than 450 Test matches and around 950 One-Day Internationals, and became the only Pakistani sports journalist to cover nine Cricket World Cups.

They recalled that Qamar Ahmed moved to England in the 1960s, where he lived for more than five decades. His London residence became a gathering place for several Pakistani cricket legends, including Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas and Sarfraz Nawaz, as well as celebrated film stars Mohammad Ali and Zeba.

Speakers also highlighted his role as a mentor to young sports journalists, saying he was always willing to guide aspiring reporters. In addition to his journalism career, Qamar Ahmed authored several books on cricket, including his autobiography, “For More Than a Game”, published by Paramount Books Pvt Limited.