Bridge community fumes over false death report

KARACHI: An irresponsible and unprofessional act of a bridge official who released and confirmed the death of Jan-e-Alam Fazli which proved untrue created anxiety and apprehension in the sports circles.
Syed Ameer Hasan, Karachi Bridge Associates (KBA) honorary secretary, had circulated the following email, also received by ‘The News’ on Thursday morning.
“Bridge players will be grieved to hear the sad news that a bridge legend, Jan-e-Alam Fazli left for heavenly abode last evening (Wednesday) after a prolonged illness. His burial will take place today (Thursday) at Paposh Nagar graveyard. His Namaz Janaza will be held after Zohar at Sultan Masjid, Defence Housing Society, Karachi, at about 1.30 pm.”
Later in the evening he was contacted by ‘The News’ and he stated that the Namaz-e-Janaza was offered after Asr prayers, instead of Zohar prayers, and the burial took place at the Paposh Nagar graveyard in Nazimabad.
Ameer had also mentioned names of some of the leading bridge personalities who he said attended the funeral of Jan-e-Alam.
Following the publication of the report in newspapers, including ‘The News’ on Friday, a couple of senior bridge officials denied it. They criticised the KBA secretary for giving a false report.
The KBA secretary, apparently under fire from various quarters for spreading the false news, stopped receiving or returning his calls made on his cell phone.
It could not be ascertained what exactly prompted Ameer to announce the death of a player without proper verification.
‘The News’ apologises to Jan-e-Alam Fazli, his family, friends and well-wishers besides our readers for the inconvenience caused.
When we were going to press, immediate past president of Pakistan Bridge Federation Tariq Rasheed told ‘The News’ that Jan-e-Alam died on Friday evening. He had been admitted at a local hospital.