LAHORE: Shahryar Khan, former Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and diplomat, has passed away at the age of 89 in Lahore.
Family sources confirmed that Khan had been ill for a long time and passed away today in Lahore. His body will be flown to Karachi via air ambulance for burial.
Born on March 29, 1934, in Lucknow, India, Khan received his early education there before pursuing higher studies in England.
After the partition of India, he migrated to Pakistan and settled in Karachi, where he embarked on a distinguished career in diplomacy.
The Foreign Office paid tribute to the diplomat — who held various roles during his distinguished career between 1957 and 1994 at the foreign ministry, including foreign secretary, ambassador, and high commissioner — and honored his “monumental services in protecting Pakistan’s diplomatic interests”.
Today the Foreign Service family of Pakistan mourns the passing of former Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Shaharyar M. Khan. We honour his monumental services in protecting Pakistan’s diplomatic interests. Our deepest condolences to his friends and family. May his soul rest in… pic.twitter.com/HDxX3jgkP5
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) March 23, 2024
Khan served as PCB Chairman twice and also held the position of Foreign Secretary during his career as a diplomat.
Chairman of the PCB, Mohsin Naqvi, expressed his sorrow over Khan’s passing and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
Naqvi paid tribute to Khan’s services and stated that his contributions would be remembered for a long time.
He served as chairman of the board from December 2003 to October 2006 and from August 2014 to August 2017, according to a PCB statement.
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Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also mourned Khan’s death and highlighted aspects of his life such as being a scion of the Bhopal royal family and co-authoring “Shadows Across the Playing Field” with the Indian politician, a book on the history of India-Pakistan cricket from Partition to 2009.
Mourning the passing of my friend Shahryar Khan, diplomat & cricket administrator, scion of the Bhopal royal family, and my co-author on “Shadows Across the Playing Field”, a history of India-Pakistan cricket from Partition to 2009. A fine human being, a refined intellect, and a… pic.twitter.com/MDyjNGLxRm
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 23, 2024
“A fine human being, a refined intellect, and a genuine advocate of good neighborly relations between our countries, he will be deeply mourned in India.”