On the opening day of the second Test at Lord’s, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly filed a formal protest against Sky Sports for airing an interview with the sons of former prime minister Imran Khan during the lunch break.
The PCB had thought of refusing to allow the Pakistani squad to return to the field following the break as a protest, according to ESPNcricinfo.
In the Writers’ Room at Lord’s, former England captain and Sky Sports host Mike Atherton conducted the interview with Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman. They both voiced serious worries about their father’s condition and care at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
The PCB officials, however, were not pleased with the 18-minute section since they did not want the former Pakistani PM to receive any airtime. The PCB told Sky that Pakistan’s players might not return to the field if the interview was shown after the rain prolonged the lunch break, according to a different report in the Guardian. The piece was first postponed by Sky before it was broadcast.
After a while, Pakistan took the field again for the second session, which started at 2:38 PM BST. The brothers told Atherton that they hadn’t seen their father in person since 2022. “We were unable to see him outside after that. During the interview, they stated, “It is almost four years.”
There has been radio silence ever since. We’re not sure if that’s because of our call or if his isolation has increased due to stricter limitations.
They said, “It is evident that they do not want us to go for one reason or another. We have attempted to visit him multiple times, but our visa applications have effectively been blocked.”
They claimed that even though they thought they may be caught, they were ready to travel.
They stated, “We just want to see him, but there is probably a small risk that we could be arrested.” “We are growing more worried about his health.”
When asked how their father sounded in their most recent call, the brothers stated he was still cheerful.
Because the calls could end at any time, he speaks quickly. They remarked, “We never know how much time we will get.”
Additionally, the brothers claimed that their father had lost almost 80% of his vision in one eye.
They claimed, “He told us that he had complained about it for months, but it was ignored and he did not receive proper treatment.” He doesn’t typically voice complaints. Only when we questioned him about his health did he talk about it.
Kasim responded that Imran had lately informed family members that his illness had “severely worsened” when questioned about any interactions with the family.
“He spends more than twenty-three hours a day in total isolation within his cell. He had an eye patch on when our aunts saw him. Since he has always represented tranquility, it is hard for us to envision him looking clearly stressed. “
Sulaiman continued, “Our concerns were validated when, rather than being transported to the private hospital designated by the Supreme Court, he was taken to a government medical facility for a few hours and then sent straight back to prison.”
“An unbiased physician has yet to adequately examine him. We are left wondering what they are concealing and why they are so reluctant to let an impartial doctor evaluate his condition.”
21 former cricket captains, including Atherton, wrote to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last week requesting appropriate medical care for Imran and an independent evaluation of his health, even though the Pakistani government has rejected claims of abuse or medical neglect.
Since August 2023, Imran Khan, the captain of Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning squad, has been incarcerated. He argues that the cases are politically motivated and has refuted the accusations made against him.
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