Cricket organiser Aslam Taya dies

LAHORE: Mohammed Aslam, affectionately known as Aslam Taya, of Universal Cricket Club died after a short ailment at the Ittefaq Hospital here on Saturday. He was suffering from brain tumor.

Aslam Taya was the secretary of Universal Club, one of the pre-Partition days cricket clubs of Lahore, for the last four decades. After late Qamaruddin Butt (Q. D Butt), Aslam Taya took saddle of Universal Club and devoted his whole life for the progress of his club. His contributions to the great game of cricket were immense. He would personally look after the upcoming cricketers and back them for further exposure. He was, particularly, instrumental in building the career of former Test cricketer M Yousaf, then Yohana, whom he supported without any discrimination. When Yousaf was ready for big cricket but facing resistance in his selection, Aslam Taya approached Majid Khan and Waqar Ahmed, then in the PCB, to support the cricketer of his Club.

Aslam Taya was a thorough gentleman who was the main spirit behind the success of Universal Club in many local tournaments organized by the LCCA. He would organize an annual match at the Aitichson College Cricket ground where late Fazal Mahmood, Imtiaz Ahmed, Saeed Buxh, Sultan Mahmood, former PCB chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Tauqir Zia and many others would gather and reminisce their good old days at the Universal Club. Aslam Taya was buried in the Johar Town graveyard after Asr prayer amid a large number of his relatives, friends and club cricketers.