'What is being done to him is not right': Miandad speaks out on Imran Khan’s imprisonment
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'What is being done to him is not right': Miandad speaks out on Imran Khan’s imprisonment")
Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan leaves after appearing in the Supreme Court Photograph: (AFP)
Miandad has urged the Pakistani government to resolve its differences with former Prime Minister Imran Khan and called for his release from jail.
Former Pakistan captain and batting great Javed Miandad has raised concerns over the imprisonment and health of his former teammate and ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying he hopes the situation is resolved soon and calling what is happening to Imran “unnecessary.”
With several former and current cricketers from around the world speaking out in support of Imran, Miandad has now become one of the biggest Pakistan cricket figures to publicly address his imprisonment. According to Cricinfo, he has called for Imran’s release and offered to provide any help he may need.
Speaking on the ‘Narratives’ podcast, Miandad said, as quoted by Cricinfo, “I pray that what is going on with him gets resolved, because he does not deserve this. What is being done to him is not right. It is unnecessary. He has a family too.”
“I think about it all the time, what he must be doing [in prison], what he must be thinking of. We were so close. We used to be together and think so much of each other. We took Pakistan to such new heights. I can’t help but feel so sad about it,” he added.
Miandad represented Pakistan in 124 Tests and 233 ODIs between 1975 and 1996. He scored 16,213 international runs and hit 31 centuries. He played alongside Imran during Pakistan’s successful period in the 1980s and early 1990s.
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Both Miandad and Imran captained Pakistan, but Imran led the team to their famous 1992 World Cup triumph. Miandad played an important role in that campaign, scoring 437 runs in nine innings, including five half-centuries.
Miandad also spoke about his bond with Imran during their playing days and rejected claims that the two had a bitter rivalry.
“There was no rivalry between me and Imran. There was no fight between us. I have never complained that Imran wronged me in any way. I had a great career which I am very thankful for. Imran and I played county cricket together too, we were together for more than half the year, either in county cricket or with Pakistan. We had a great time together,” he said.
Imran’s health has come under intense scrutiny in Pakistan in recent weeks. His sons have repeatedly called for proper medical treatment for the former cricketer and Prime Minister.
Last week, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that Imran be shifted to Islamabad’s Shifa Hospital, however, he was taken to the state-run PIMS hospital and sent back to prison after his check-up.
His sisters and sons have alleged that the court’s order was not followed and have demanded that Imran be allowed to consult his personal doctor.
Meanwhile, 22 former international cricket captains have written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, renewing their call for proper medical treatment for Imran.
The letter followed an earlier appeal signed by 14 former captains in February, which reportedly received no response from the Pakistan government.
With inputs from agencies
