Adil Najam
So it turns out that Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer was not murdered after all.
Of course, some of our readers had never believed that charge in the first place. And it has now been clear for a while that this was not murder.
But seeing the news reports on the television still leaves me feeling very uncomfortable – even queasy. This raises more questions in one’s mind.
What about the way we will remember this man? In those first few days before the murder story was floated, there was an outpouring of respect for Woolmer amongst Pakistanis. I myself had suggested renaming National Stadium in his memory. But with all the murder talk we forgot about him and his career and his service as Pakistan coach. Maybe its time to remember him again?
What about the Pakistan team and players and all the emotional cost to them? Should there be an apology? By whom? This is not about a blame game. It is about bringing real closure to a very sordid affair.
And why – for God’s sake why – did this story carry so much credibility for so wrong. It not only dragged the Woolmer family through even greater pain than the immensity of the news about his death. It put a shadow not just over the Pakistan team but over Pakistan cricket. And it made the World Cup event so much less than it should have been. All all of this for what?
I think there is little point in sueing. There is no doubt but that this sordid episode has left a very sick taste in the mouths of Pakistani fans. I was flabberghasted by how people on message boards were tyring to outdo each other playing Sherlock Holmes, and trying to figure out which of the Pak team player(s).
I blame the whole thing on the Carribean cricket and administrative authorities. There seems to be no end to Pak team’s misfortunes whenever visiting the WI, whether it is bats getting stolen, players arrested for beach recreation activities, and now this.
I think Pakistan should put an end to touring WI, and tell the WIndian authorities that this boycott will not be lifted until they shape up and start treating our teams with the respect and dignity they deserve.
This is extremely distressing for everyone involved. The questions posed by Mr Najam are most relevant. Imagine ten years later when we hear a documentary or feature about Woolmer, or even when our kids ask us about the ‘famous’ Pakistan coach, what will we tell them? “Oh, he used to be a great coach, took South Africa to heights, tried to do the same in Pakistan, failed, and hence no one liked him. He died in the middle of the World Cup. And for the longest time we thought it was murder.”
I don’t think a such a seemingly decent and nice guy deserved such a biography.
I read Inzamam’s statement today that ‘jo hona tha ho chuka’. PCB should not suit. Put everything behind us.
m Yousuf on the other hand has said PCB should take some kind of action for defamation
I think we are jumping to conclusions. What would an apology or a lawsuit really do any way, other than creating another circus? Lets move on.
Nasim Ashraf is more interested in getting an apology from senator Enver Baig and threatening legal proceedings for his remarks rather than the Jamaica police and others who were responsible for all the rumours about the death being a murder:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007 6\14\story_14-6-2007_pg2_8