To survive for more than 60 years as a ‘journalist’ with dignity and professional integrity without any kind of favor in cash or kind is in itself an achievement, and that too at a time when the media in general and journalists in particular are facing serious professional, ethical and moral crises. But Qamar Ahmed, or ‘Q’ bhai, kept that image till the end. With over 400 Test matches, 10 World Cups and over 1,100 first-class matches, his name would go down in the history of cricket journalism as unique. He finally got out on 89, 11 short of his century. Qamar Ahmed is dead. Long live Q, bhai.
I always found him busy with his typewriter in the 80s and with a laptop these days when I was going to watch a Test match or a day at the National Stadium, Karachi. He was Pakistani cum English in his lifestyle with his hat on.
Whether his own country, ie. Pakistan, recognized his services to the game or not, but the cricketing world has definitely recognized it.
When I last spoke to him two days before his death, he was planning another trip to London, not only for his annual medical but also to cover the upcoming Pakistan-England series, and I said, “Qamar bhai, this time I will accompany you,” and he laughed and said, “Of course, I know about your love for cricket.”
About two months ago, he asked me, “Why don’t you write a piece for my upcoming book? I remembered you did some remarkable stories about cricket. Write about your experience or something exclusive,” he said. About a month ago I sent him that article. I am not sure of the current status of the book, but he told me that it is almost ready. I hope the publisher will publish the book and give its royalties to his family.
Another unpublished book of Qamar bhai was on Asian Bradman Zaheer Abbas whom I interviewed in London last year during a festival in the absence of Q bhai. To my pleasant surprise, Qamar bhai texted me, “excellent”. The two had some kind of misunderstanding, which is why the book has not yet been published. But Qamar bhai has always described Zaheer as one of the greatest cricketers who has scored a record of more than 100 first-class centuries.
Qamar bhai was not just a ‘cricket journalist’ but a remarkable ‘storyteller’ like the way he had written about his experience as a child during ‘Partition’ and how a Hindu family protected his family and provided shelter. In his autobiography, “Far More Than a Game”, he told the whole story and years later, when he met them during his visit to India, how emotionally they welcomed him.
He also has a special love for Urdu poetry and music, and once told me that he had attended Pakistan-India Mushaira in Hyderabad, most of which were organized by my father, Mirza Abid Abbas. “I know your father who was more than just an iconic literary figure and an educationist but also an ardent cricket lover and had seen me play for the Hyderabad and Sindh teams,” he said.
While he knows almost every cricketer who matters in the world and the best cricket journalists, his ‘relationship’ is with Pakistan’s most famous cricketer and former captain, Imran Khan. They had a ‘love and hate’ relationship. In his book he had written a whole chapter about him. “I still think he should not have joined politics as a national hero and should not become controversial,” he said.
I still remember when Imran Khan, in his early days in politics, once came to the Karachi Press Club. I sat with Qamar bhai and Owais Tohid. Suddenly he saw us and immediately came to Qamar bhai and said “Hello, Q.” Qamar bhai also greeted him with a pleasant smile and asked about his new innings ie politics. Imran also smiled and said, “Let’s see. The innings has just started.”
Imran often discussed cricket with Owais and me, so he was not surprised to see us sitting with Qamar and said, “You are in the right company.”
Qamar bhai also has many stories to tell about the great Mohammad brothers and revealed, which was once also confirmed by his friend and youngest of the brothers, Sadiq Mohammad, that he had got them all out, including great Hanif Mohammad and Mushtaq Mohammad, in first-class cricket.
He has witnessed many golden eras, highs and lows in cricket, including some memorable moments including Pakistan winning the World Cup in 1992. Perhaps not many know this, but he once told me that he had also seen the late Pir Pagaro’s batting for Hyderabad at the Niaz Stadium, where he almost survived a deadly innings by him, batting a man, batting thousands of men and thousands. supporters almost rushed towards the pacer but he stopped them.
Q bhai himself, a left-arm leg spinner, had also managed Hyderabad and played for the Sindh XI before in the mid-60s he traveled to England and settled there. Until his death, his famous ‘house’ was almost a hub for top Pakistani cricketers including Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Sarfraz Nawaz and had a lot of stories to tell.
He always described his historic and rare meeting with the legend and hero of all the oppressed classes of the world, former South African President Nelson Mandela.
As I said above, he was not only a cricket journalist but also a very social person. His relationship with Pakistan’s biggest film couple, Mohammad Ali and Zeba. After Ali’s death, he kept in touch with Mrs. Zeba to inquire about her health. Another legendary actor of his era, Mustafa Qureshi, was a year younger than him in school. Whenever the latter visited the Karachi Press Club and saw Qamar bhai, he arranged to sit with him for some time.
A few years back, he joined hands with a group of cricket lovers from Baluchistan to help them develop the Gwadar Cricket Stadium.
With his demise, the world of cricket has lost one of its finest journalists – a consummate professional who, through a career spanning more than 60 years as both reporter and commentator, served the profession with honesty and integrity. Above all, he was a master ‘storyteller’, chronicling both on-the-record and off-the-record cricket controversies, from match-fixing scandals to off-the-field events.
Miss you Q bhai!
The author is a journalist and analyst for Pakinomist, Jang and The News. He can be reached at X: @MazharAbbsGEO
