Pakistan’s cricket legend and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has remained steadfast in his ideals despite his imprisonment. Former England captain Michael Atherton recently spoke to his two sons Sulaiman Imran and Qasim Khan. There, Imran’s current condition and his unyielding mentality were highlighted by his two sons. They said, Imran Khan will not compromise. If necessary, die in jail.
Atherton wrote about these issues in a column in the British newspaper ‘the Times’ after talking to Imran’s two sons. His two sons got the opportunity to talk to their father on the phone for the first time since January this year. 73-year-old Imran’s vision in his right eye has drastically decreased. However, he is laughing and dismissing this physical pain in a 28-minute phone conversation. The younger son Qasim said, ‘authorities have taken strategies like shutting down the electricity in the cell or not allowing him to read books, but these have strengthened the father more spiritually and mentally. He is now keeping himself calm through regular meditation.
Referring to his father’s uncompromising attitude, his elder son Sulaiman said that he has publicly said that he is willing to die in jail rather than deviate from his principles. As a child, I wanted him to leave politics and become a cricket analyst. But now I understand, he could not be happy without any big risk or influence.
The boys also said that Imran is more worried about his wife Bushra Bibi’s imprisonment than his own suffering. Imran told his sons ‘authorities know that they can’t break me, I can handle everything. But when it comes to hitting the family, it becomes difficult.’