Bridge community condoles Azwer’s death

KARACHI: The death of Muhammad Azwer-ul-Haq, one of the longest-serving bridge administrators of the country, who breathed his last due to multiple organ failure and was buried here at a local graveyard on Friday, has been widely condoled by the mind sports community.

“The bridge world has lost an irreplaceable asset with the death of Azwer. He and I worked together on the Managing Committee of the PBF for several years establishing a functioning secretariat and an organization that oversaw the creation of an institution to serve the administration and promotion of bridge in the country,” Khurshid Hadi, Chairman, Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), and two-times President of PBF, acknowledged in a brief conversation.

“All of us are mourning with the passing of Azwer. He was a gentle soul and his small stature didn’t stop him being a giant in the bridge community," Zia Mahmood, complimented.

"It is indeed a profound loss to intellectual sport of bridge in not only at levels of bridge administration in Pakistan but also to all National Bridge Organizations (NBOs) BFAME,” Mazhar Jafri, the longest serving member of World Bridge Federation (WBF), who mentored Azwer, said.

“It's really shocking news to hear about our dear friend Azwer as he was a dear brother and a real gentleman who had cordial relations with almost every one he worked hard to promote bridge in our zone,” Bahjat Majali, President BFAME, stated.

“How do you learn to manage without your go-to man for all seasons and every kind of reason? When in doubt, ask Azwer and now he has left us and I don’t doubt that every bridge player in our BFAME community feels that the ground we stood on has been pulled from under our feet,” Rehana Saigol, a former President of PBF, observed.

“The sad demise of Azwer my friend who was just like a brother came as a real shock. His loss has deprived of an ardent bridge administrator, organizer and a great human being,” Ihsan Qadir, the country’s highest qualified Tournament Director, reckoned.