Akram seeks prayers

LAHORE – Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram’s wife Huma Wasim was laid to rest on Monday at a local graveyard amidst expressions of grief and sorrow from the relatives, fans and family friends. Everybody who is anybody in the Pakistan cricket in the city was present to pay last and respect to her and stood on Akram’s side at this time of grievance. Prominent among them were PCB director cricket Zakir Khan, former captains Inzamamul Haq, Moin Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Aaqib Javed, Shoaib Malik, Intikhab Alam, Ijaz Ahmed, Abdul Qadir and PCB chairman Ijaz Butt. Saeed Anwar, a former Pakistan captain and ex-teammate of Wasim, led the funeral prayers. Her last rites were performed at Jamia Mosque, Block DD, Phase 4, DHA at 2:30 pm and then her body was taken to the graveyard for burial.Talking to media at the occasion Wasim Akram said that he needs friends prayers. “I would urge the people to pray for me to give me strength and courage to raise our children. I want prayers so I could carry on with my wife’s dreams to raise our children as she wanted them to be,” he added. Her qul rituals will be held at the same venue, Jamia Mosque after 5 pm. Meanwhile, messages of condolence kept pouring in.Bipin Dani adds from Mumbai: Over 1,000 people had gathered at the funeral saying final good bye to the very remarkable, loved and admired person called Huma Wasim Akram, according to Maqbool “Max” Babri, one of the family friends present, from Lahore. “The Namaz-i-Janaza was held at the DD mosque at 2.35 this afternoon where over a 1,000 mourners were gathered to say good bye to a great mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, teacher, psychologist, hypnotherapist, counsellor, coach and above all a delightful caring human being”, “Max” Babri said over telephone.The president of Pakistan, the prime minister, governors, chief ministers, speaker of the national assembly have sent their messages of condolences to Wasim Akram and his much devastated family.Many current and former cricketers including Shoaib Malik, the member of the current Pakistani team, coach Intikhab Alam, administrators, managers were present at the S Block graveyard in Defence. This graveyard is only about a kilometer away from the Wasim Akram residence in Z Block. “Wasim Akram has asked all of us to pray for the departed soul and for courage and strength for himself to continue and fulfill Huma’s mission to bring-up the the two motherless boys in a way that they grow up to be responsible and caring citizens like Huma was”, Babri further added.It could not be confirmed whether Akram’s two sons-Taimur and Akbar- were present. Possibly they were asked to stay back. “Weeping Akram’s beard was overgrown, He was tired and he seemed not totally himself”.“We will always remember Huma as she will continue to live with and within us as she had touched so many people and their hearts with her wisdom and kindness. Her very spontaneous laughter and expression of joy. Her very appropriate, assertive and humorous comments underlining the fact that Huma and Wasim are actually and truly equal partners in life rather than traditional husband and wife”, Babri further added.“There is some good news though. If we have learned something from Huma and if we are any good as human beings, we will get to meet her in heaven one day”, the psychologist and hypenotherapist Babri signed off.