LAHORE: The Azad Group, originally founded by the late former Secretary of Lahore Region Mian Javed Ali, has re-emerged as an active force within the Lahore East Zone Cricket Association.
Under the leadership of senior cricket organiser Malik Aslam Dogar, East Zone President Bilal Muqeet, and organiser Wasif Zaman, the group has been revitalised with strong backing from prominent social personalities Mian Saeed Derewala and Mian Aamir Javed Ali, who pledged their full patronage.
More than 25 affiliated club presidents have joined the group, reaffirming their confidence in its leadership. An Iftar dinner hosted by Bilal Muqeet and Wasif Zaman brought together representatives from across the zone, where club officials expressed unanimous support for the leadership team.
In his address, Bilal Muqeet emphasised that while there may be principled differences, the group holds no personal grudges. He highlighted efforts made during his tenure to promote cricket and vowed to continue the mission of the late Mian Javed Ali to restore the prestige of East Zone cricket. He also thanked clubs from the Jallo area for their strong backing.
Wasif Zaman stressed that the group’s objective is not personal gain but to protect the rights of deserving players and restore the dignity of the zone. Shehbaz Ali added that despite record levels of cricket activity under Muqeet’s leadership, many outstanding players were overlooked, and the group’s mission is to correct such injustices.
Other organizers, including Baba Khurshid, Ahmed Din, Sajjad Butt and Malik Riaz, voiced concerns over the neglect of talented East Zone players at the regional level, noting that even top performers in senior inter-district tournaments were ignored. They pledged full support to the Azad Group leadership, stressing the need to restore respect for organizers who have dedicated their lives to cricket.
Additional voices such as Salman Qadir, Aftab Anwar, Abid Zulfiqar and Aamir Butt echoed these sentiments, committing to work collectively for the betterment of club, zone and Lahore cricket.
