Zafar Khan, who died in Tuesday's attack in Lahore, was driving the vehicle with the umpires
Zafar Khan, who died in Tuesday's attack in Lahore, was driving the vehicle with the umpires
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Driver Zafar Khan was with the New Zealand cricket team in 2002 when a suicide bomber struck outside their hotel in Karachi.
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Goodbye, my friends: Pakistani police officers at a funeral for their colleagues killed in the attack against Sri Lankan players in Lahore on Tuesday. pic/ap |
A driver of 15 years and cricket crazy like many of his countrymen, Khan had expected to go home to his village outside Mansehra town in North West Frontier province to finalise the dates for his eldest daughter's wedding once the Lahore match was over.
Hit in chest
Instead, his body was taken there, after prayers were offered for him and the six Pakistani policemen who also died in the bloody assault by a dozen unidentified gunmen.
Khan was killed instantly by a gunshot wound on his chest as his coach came under heavy fire from terrorists 500 metres from the Gaddafi stadium, where he was taking the umpires for the third day of a match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
"He loved his cricket and he was liked by visiting foreign players and officials," said Saleem Khan, his brother. "He loved collecting souvenirs given to him by them."
His uncle, Anwar Khan, recalled his nephew's shock when a suicide bomb attack outside Karachi's Sheraton Hotel in May 2002 killed 13 people.
Shattered in 2002
Khan had been preparing to take the New Zealand team from the hotel to the National Stadium, but the New Zealanders promptly abandoned the series and returned home the same day.
"He was shattered then, but recovered quickly as he loved driving and cricket," Anwar said.
While Khan was being buried, one of his passengers lay in a Lahore hospital on the critical list.
Fourth umpire Ahsan Raza was also struck in the chest. He was kept alive by an artificial ventilator.
"Zafar was killed instantly as he was up front. A police commando took charge of the coach and drove us to the stadium," Umpire Nadeem Ghouri said.u00a0
Several detained
Police yesterday detained several suspects in the attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team in Pakistan, but said they had made no progress in tracking the group of gunmen that wounded seven players and killed six police personnel guarding them.
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