I have been blogging less these days and am increasingly mindful of the need to keep in my lane, verify anything that stirs me that is presented as fact and focus on my other writing.

Why I write

But every so often something jumps out on my social media page that stirs me. Today it was two things: the story of a Christian couple reported as murdered before many witnesses and the perpetrators not brought to justice, and a letter by one cricketing hero and ex-Test cricket captain, Brian Lara, concerning the harsh treatment of another cricketing hero and ex-Test cricket captain, Imran Khan, currently in a Pakistan jail over alleged corruption.

The cricketer

I remember watching Imran Khan play cricket in 80s/90s, and he impressed me so much that I could well pick him as captain of my World XI, along with Sobers and Kallis as outstanding all-rounders. Imran Khan was born 5 October 1952, captained Pakistan 1982–1992, led Pakistan to World Cup victory in 1992 and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009.

The philanthropist

After his mother Shaukat Khanum died of cancer in 1985, he raised funds to build Pakistan’s first dedicated cancer hospital. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre opened in Lahore on 29 December 1994. The charity reports around 70% of patients receive free care. It has since expanded to Peshawar, with Karachi under construction.

From philanthropy to politics

He founded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 1996 on an anti-corruption platform and served as Prime Minister from August 2018 to April 2022, when he was removed by a parliamentary no-confidence vote. I do not pretend to understand the internal politics of Pakistan, but I note the irony of a party that campaigned against corruption now faces corruption charges.

Why he is in prison

In 2025 he received two sentences relating to alleged corruption – 17 years in the Toshakhana case and 14 years in the Al-Qadir Trust case – which he denies and which are under appeal. He denies wrongdoing and says the cases are politically motivated.

Current condition

On 18 August 2026 the Supreme Court ordered transfer to Shifa International Hospital for assessment. Authorities took him to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, examined him, and returned him to Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi. His family lawyers say his health and vision in his right eye have deteriorated. The government says he is medically fit, housed in a multi-cell compound, and receiving care. In February 2026, fourteen former international captains including Brian Lara, Nasser Hussain, Mike Atherton, Mike Brearley, David Gower, Steve Waugh, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev (all cricketers I place in my top drawer) signed an open letter expressing “profound concern” over reports of his health.

The wider worry

I could not verify the specific case of a Christian couple I saw reported on social media, so I will for the time being put it onto another drawer: this one of stories to follow up. What can be documented is that Christian and other minority groups in Pakistan have reported harassment and violence, and that organisations including Amnesty International and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom have raised concerns about blasphemy laws and judicial process. Likewise, Transparency International has long ranked Pakistan low on its Corruption Perceptions Index – which was the very issue PTI campaigned on.

Conclusion

To say I am concerned over Imran Khan’s treatment, the way Christians are treated in a predominantly Muslim country and reported incidents of judicial and government corruption is an understatement. I look on happenings like these with consternation and a feeling of powerlessness but I can write about what I see and pray to God who acts justly.