Javed Miandad gets emotional while speaking about Imran Khan's integrity; ‘Is he going to devour Pakistan?’

Javed Miandad couldn't hold back while speaking about imprisoned former teammate Imran Khan, and urging the Pakistan government for the ex-Pakistan Prime Minister and captain's release. One of the legendary figures in Pakistan cricket, Miandad, also insisted that Imran, under whom the country won the 1992 ODI World Cup, isn't a corrupt person.

Miandad's remarks came after a letter to the Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by the 22 former international captains, urging a better medical treatment to the 73-year-old, who has been prisoned since August 2023 on corruption charges.

The former Pakistan PM's health has been in question recently and also reportedly lost sight on one eye. On August 18, the Supreme Court ordered Imran to be taken to Shifa International Hospital for treatment and remain admitted to the Islamabad hospital, until the next hearing on September 16.

However, on the night of August 20-21, Imran was admitted to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a medical procedure and other diagnostic examinations instead of the Shifa Hospital and was subsequently transported back to Adiala Jail.

Speaking about Imran, Miandad urged the Pakistan authoritities to resolve the matter through proper dialogue. “Someone explain this to me. Is he going to devour Pakistan?” Miandad said in an interview with Narratives. “Everyone should look at this and understand it. We are all Pakistanis.”

'He is someone's son too'

Speaking about their time together playing cricket, Miandad recalled the time they played County cricket in England together and the captaincy handover to Imran. It was under Imran, Pakistan lifted their first-ever World Cup title in the 1992 edition, beating England in the final in Melbourne.

Making an appeal to the people in power in Pakistan, tears rolled down Miandad's eyes as he said, “People should sit together and resolve the matter. Whatever the issues are, that is what Pakistan needs. This situation is unnecessarily prolonged and is not right.”

“He, too, is somebody’s son. It often weighs on my mind: what must the poor man be going through? We were very close. We played county cricket together, spent our time together, and understood one another very well. Together, we helped take Pakistan so far.”

'Human beings make mistakes'

The 69-year-old stated that entire Pakistan will mourn if anything happens to Imran and believed his former colleague is clean. “Whatever has happened has happened. Human beings make mistakes. Now bring it to an end. He is also a person who served as prime minister. There is no allegation of theft against him, nor any allegation of that kind,” he said.

“God forbid, if anything happens to him, can you imagine what would transpire in the country? All of Pakistan would weep. He did not steal anything. He gave his time and everything else to Pakistan. He is such a great cricketing legend. Resolve the matter,” Miandad prayed.

The duo will be best remembered for their third-wicket partnership in the final of the 1992 ODI World Cup. Miandad and Imran stitched together a stand of 139 runs, that became the backbone of Pakistan's total of 249/6 in 50 overs. England were all out for 227 in 49.2 overs.