Asad Rauf: From to ICC elite umpire to shop owner
Former ICC elite umpire Asad Rauf made headlines again as videos of his shop in Lahore's Lunda Bazaar are going viral on social media.
Former ICC elite umpire Asad Rauf has made headlines again as his videos of his shop in Lunda Bazaar of Lahore are going viral on social media. It is being said about him that the former elite umpire is fed up with poverty and they have been forced to open a shop, however, the story is different.
When Asad Rauf was the elite umpire, he was still in the business of selling high-quality and exclusive second-hand items.
“Nowadays, my story is being told in such a way that, God willing, I am in a very bad situation and I work in Lunda Bazaar due to poverty,” Asad Rauf told Geo News.
“I used to do these elite things even when I was an elite umpire,” he said. “Umpiring is not a permanent income source, so I started working on second-hand things like shoes, clothes and bags, I also do crockery work and crockery also includes such things that were sometimes being used in the royal family.”
“It’s not like I start selling the things I import. I have a warehouse, everything is processed there, and after its processing, it comes to the store and attracts people from the far-flung area.”
Asad Rauf said that imported items are not in the range of all people and there is no clue to find the best product. I am dealing in genuine items of different brands available in good condition.”
“I don’t feel any shame in doing the business of second-hand items, I’m proud of it and no one in my family has done it or even thought about it,” he said. “I am very satisfied with my business, it does not require much investment and the profit margin is very high.”
سابق آئی سی سی ایلیٹ امپائر اسد رؤف لاہور کے لنڈے بازار میں سیکنڈ ہینڈ ایلیٹ برانڈڈ چیزیں بیچنے میں عار محسوس نہیں کرتے انہیں فخر ہے کہ ان کا ذاتی کاروبار ہے اور وہ اس سے کماتے ہیں اسد رؤف امپائرنگ کے دور سے ایکسکلوسو سیکنڈ ہینڈ اشیاء بیچنے کا کام کر رہے ہیں pic.twitter.com/ruC8YlEp7e
— Sohail Imran (@sohailimrangeo) June 23, 2022
“I was an elite umpire till the age of 57, then I had to part way with it due to some circumstances. My son is ill and I was having fitness issues as my hearing power was affected,” said Asad Rauf. Talking about controversies against him in India, Rauf said, “It is not possible that you are in India and you don’t see controversies around you. I am clear and I did not commit corruption.”
“Many things are being done by Test cricketers and that’s a good thing, but I think the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should also think about Test umpires and work for their welfare,” the former umpire said.