'Aleem Dar an inspiration for Pak cricket'

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt has called Aleem Dar an inspiration for Pakistan cricket. Dar recently won the ICC's Best Umpire of the Year Award for the second year running.

Butt showered praise on the soft spoken Dar, who was awarded a cash prize of half a million rupees and a special souvenir at a function held at the PCB Headquarters in Lahore on Thursday to acknowledge his feat of winning the ICC honour.

Dar has been voted as the ICC Elite Panel Umpire of the Year 2010, an honur that he first won last year.

Butt said in winning the award, Dar had won laurels for Pakistan on the world stage and made the millions of Pakistani cricket fans proud.

"In times when we hear all sorts of negative stories an inspirational story like that of Aleem Dar lifts everyone's spirit. He has made Pakistan cricket proud through his hard work and dedication to his profession. I wish him all the success in the years to come," Butt said.

Dar has also won the hearts of his countrymen with a noble gesture, through which he pays a monthly stipend of Rs 5,500 per month to the family of the bus driver, who lost his life while transporting the match official's from the hotel to Gaddafi Stadium when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March last year.

Meanwhile, appearing on a television show on Thursday, Dar said he completely supported the enforcement of the video referral system for umpires in all forms of cricket.

"I think, if there is modern technology available it should be used. Umpires are also human beings and this referral system is a great help," he said.

Dar also made it clear that as an umpire his first job was to remain impartial and make minimum judgement errors.

He also noted that the biggest requirement to become a leading and respected umpire was to be mentally very strong.

He also called on PCB to introduce a central contracts system for umpires in domestic cricket in order to raise the standards of umpiring in the country and give umpires an incentive to work harder.