Imran Khan row: PCB warns Pakistan players not to talk about jailed ex-captain

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has advised players involved in the ongoing Test series against England to refrain from public comments on former Pakistan captain Imran Khan’s imprisonment and health, a PTI report said.The development comes amid growing international attention on Imran’s continued imprisonment and concerns over his reported health. The issue came into sharper focus during the second Test at Lord’s after Sky Sports aired an interview with Imran’s sons, Suleman and Kasim Khan, during the lunch break.According to PTI, the PCB was not happy with the interview and considered it political. However, the board decided not to prolong the dispute, with Pakistan also scheduled to attend a reception hosted by Prince Charles on 2 September in view of the country’s diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom.

PCB fears players will be dragged into Imran debate

Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed was asked during a media interaction if the players watched the interview with Imran’s sons by former England batsman Mike Atherton.Sarfaraz said the players were not aware of this while they were having lunch.“No, we don’t know anything about that, we were at lunch,” he said when asked about the interview and reports that the PCB had threatened not to send the players back to the field after lunch if the interview was aired.PTI reported that the PCB subsequently advised the members of the playing group not to comment on Imran’s imprisonment. The move comes as international media attention has intensified around the former Pakistan captain, with several former cricketers and prominent figures expressing concerns about his reported health and access to medical care.Imran, 73, has been incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since 2023 after being convicted in corruption cases. He continues to deny the allegations.The political issue has increasingly intersected with the cricketing world due to Imran’s status as Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup captain and one of the country’s most famous cricketers.

Moin Khan joins the growing chorus of support

Former Pakistan batsman Moin Khan, a member of Imran’s 1992 World Cup-winning team, recently made an emotional appeal to the authorities to ensure that his former captain gets proper medical attention.“Our Captain Imran Khan as you all know is currently in Adiala Jail and his condition is very bad at present. I will once again urge the authorities, the Government of Pakistan and all those people who are running Adiala Jail,” Moin said in a video message.“My demand is that our captain’s right as a former prime minister, a citizen of Pakistan, his right to medical care should be respected. Whatever he needs, it should be taken care of,” he added.Moin also urged other cricketers to publicly express their support for Imran.“Besides, I also urge other cricketers to speak up and show their support to him. Imran Khan’s contribution to Pakistan cricket (is huge) and all of us who played in his era learned a lot from him. He gave a lot to Pakistan cricket,” he said.His comments came shortly after former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad also made an impassioned appeal for Imran’s release, describing his former teammate as an honest man.Concerns spread beyond Pakistan, with 22 former international captains from countries including India, England, West Indies and New Zealand writing to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to request adequate medical care and constitutional safeguards for Imran.