Sad state of Pakistani hero Imran Khan

The pathetic situation faced by former Pakistani Premier Imran Khan evokes feelings of great sorrow as well as anger.  Earlier this month, his son Kasim Khan alleged that prolonged solitary confinement and medical neglect had left the 1992 World Cup-winning captain nearly blind in his right eye. Last week, SJB MP Ajith P. Perera called for an adjournment debate to discuss the worrying condition of the former international cricketer.

Meanwhile, 14 former international cricket captains via a letter had urged the Pakistani Government to treat Khan with decency and justice while he is in prison. The former captains had called upon the Government of Pakistan to provide the ailing septuagenarian with   adequate and ongoing medical attention from qualified specialists apart from ensuring humane detention aligned with international standards as well as transparent access to the due legal process.

It is so disappointing to see a man who gave so much for the nation of Pakistan is being treated in a highly deplorable manner by the Government of Pakistan. Given the unprecedented success he achieved as a sportsman, Khan could have easily lived a comfortable lifestyle in the UK with his former wife after retirement. Or else, he could have advanced his financial interests by becoming a cricket commentator or coach like most of his contemporaries. Instead, he sacrificed his personal interest and ventured into the politics of Pakistan, which is not only turbulent but even life-threatening, to change the fortunes of his countrymen for the better.

The illustrious former Cricket star commands a huge following around the globe due to his multifaceted personality. Imran is not just another cricketer. He is a graduate in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from Oxford University. When almost every Pakistani cricketer who played in 80’s and 90’s was tainted with allegations of match fixing, Imran was one of the few cricketers from Pakistan whose reputation was not tarnished by such accusations. His stature as a human being grew in leaps and bounds when he established the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital in 1994 in memory of his late mother who died due to cancer in 1985. The hospital offers treatments to cancer patients in Pakistan who cannot access expensive healthcare facilities. It would be heart-breaking for all cricket lovers across the world to see a man who did so much for humanity being denied proper healthcare facilities.

Sri Lankans may recall that Imran last visited Sri Lanka in February 2021 when he was Prime Minister, and he was given a grand welcome by the then Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration. It was also after his visit, that the Rajapaksa Government lifted the baseless ban on burial of COVID-19 victims – which caused an immense emotional trauma to the nation’s Muslim community.

Although Pakistan has been a close ally of Sri Lanka for a long period of time, the South Asian state has failed to emerge as a true democracy. The post-independent history of the Islamic Republic has been characterised by frequent military interventions, weak political institutions, and a dominant deep state that undermines true democratic processes. The military has an outsized influence on matters related to national security and foreign policy. It is widely alleged that religious minorities in the country (particularly Christians and Hindus) face systematic persecution, including forced conversions, blasphemy law abuse, mob violence, and targeted killings.  The crisis-torn nation is regularly crippled by terrorism and forces of extremism.

The predicament of Khan and the inhumane treatment meted out to him has greatly tarnished the reputation of the State of Pakistan and its standing in the eyes of the international community. The pressure should be exerted on the Government of Pakistan to treat Imran Khan, a man loved and adored by many in the world, with respect, decency, and dignity.