Economic policy

 In terms of domestic economic policy, Khan inherited a twin balance of payments and debt crisis upon assuming office in 2018, characterized by a significant current account deficit and fiscal deficit. His government sought assistance from the IMF to address these challenges. In exchange for the bailout, Khan's administration implemented austerity measures, cutting subsidy spending in the energy sector and unveiling an austerity budget to reduce the fiscal deficit and limit government borrowing. The IMF also insisted on the depreciation of the rupee and improvements in tax collection. Khan's government opted to raise import tariffs to boost tax revenues and devalued the currency, which, alongside heavy import duties, helped mitigate the current account deficit through import substitution.

Pakistan's overall balance of payments improved notably following record-high remittances in 2020, stabilizing the central bank's foreign exchange reserves. The fiscal deficit narrowed to less than 1% of GDP by 2020 due to austerity measures, and the rate of debt accumulation slowed considerably. However, Pakistan's debt remained high due to significant borrowing by previous administrations, necessitating substantial allocations to repay loans taken during their tenures.

In addition to IMF-mandated reforms, Khan's government implemented policies to enhance the business environment. As a result, Pakistan climbed 28 places on the World Bank's ease of doing business index in 2019, ranking among the top 10 most improved countries. Tax collection also reached record highs, primarily from domestic taxes, with import tax revenues remaining stable due to reduced imports.

The fiscal deficit was further controlled to less than 1% of GDP in the latter half of 2020, with Pakistan recording a primary surplus. However, when accounting for interest payments on debt, a deficit persisted, albeit smaller. This reduction in the fiscal deficit was attributed primarily to increased non-tax revenues, including higher oil prices paid by consumers to state-owned oil companies. Nonetheless, tax revenues also saw an upward trajectory, with the Federal Board of Revenue exceeding its collection targets and setting records in the fiscal year 2021.

In terms of international trade policy, Khan's government implemented the second phase of the China–Pakistan Free Trade Agreement in January 2020, negotiating concessionary rates from China on Pakistani exports to mainland China, such as reduced or zero tariffs. These negotiations were hailed as a significant milestone in Pakistan's foreign policy, expanding trade relations beyond traditional defense and security matters.

Furthermore, Khan's government addressed concerns regarding terror financing laws after Pakistan was placed on the FATF grey list in June 2018. Initially, temporary legislation was enacted through presidential decrees to comply with FATF requirements. Subsequently, permanent legislation was introduced in parliament, with partial support from opposition parties. Despite hurdles from the opposition-dominated Senate, the government successfully passed necessary bills in a joint session of parliament. By October 2020, Pakistan had made significant progress in addressing FATF requirements, and by February 2021, approximately 90% of the agenda was completed. Continued efforts led to further progress, with Pakistan addressing 26 out of 27 action items by June 2021. Ultimately, Pakistan's successful implementation of its action plan led to its removal from the FATF grey list in October 2022.

Khan with Ali Khamenei and Hassan Rouhani

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Prime Minister of Pakistan

 On 17th August 2018, Khan secured 176 votes and assumed the role of the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan, taking the oath of office on 18th August 2018. Following his inauguration, Khan initiated significant changes within the country's bureaucracy, appointing Sohail Mahmood as Foreign Secretary, Rizwan Ahmed as Maritime Secretary, and Naveed Kamran Baloch as Finance Secretary. Notably, he appointed Lieutenant General Asim Munir to the crucial position of Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence, marking his first major appointment within the Pakistan Army.

Khan promptly announced his cabinet selections after assuming office, opting to retain the Ministry of Interior for himself initially, though later appointing Ijaz Ahmed Shah as interior minister. Many of his cabinet appointees had previous ministerial experience during the Musharraf era, while others had defected from the left-wing People's Party. In 2019, Khan committed to a significant reshuffle in key ministries, including interior, finance, information, and planning.

Despite the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Khan emphasized the importance of maintaining strong relations with Saudi Arabia amidst Pakistan's economic crisis. He also expressed concerns over U.S. sanctions against Iran, highlighting the adverse impact on Pakistan and advocating against further conflicts in the Muslim world.

Khan prioritized fostering close ties with China, although he stated limited awareness regarding China's treatment of its Muslim population. Nonetheless, Khan affirmed that he had privately addressed the issue in discussions with Chinese officials.

In 2019, Khan was recognized as one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the "Leaders" category. 

Khan with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House in July 2019

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In the 2018 general election

 

Khan participated in the electoral campaign across multiple constituencies, including NA-35 (Bannu), NA-53 (Islamabad-II), NA-95 (Mianwali-I), NA-131 (Lahore-IX), and NA-243 (Karachi East-II). Initial results showed Khan leading the polls, but allegations of vote rigging and administrative malpractices were raised by opposition parties, particularly the PML-N. Despite this, election officials declared Khan's party, PTI, as having won a plurality in the National Assembly with 110 seats, later revised to 116 out of 270 contested seats. Khan's victory was notable as he won in all five constituencies, a feat unprecedented in Pakistan's electoral history.

Following the election, Khan's party announced a 100-day agenda focusing on government reforms, including proposals for the creation of a new province in Southern Punjab, the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, improvements in Karachi's law and order situation, and efforts to strengthen relations with Baloch political leaders.

However, allegations of widespread rigging persisted, with opposition parties accusing Khan's victory of being influenced by military interference. Despite these claims, the Election Commission dismissed the allegations, and PTI's victory was acknowledged even by its opponents, although with reservations.

In his victory speech, Khan outlined his policy priorities, emphasizing a commitment to building a welfare state inspired by the principles of the first Islamic state of Medina. He pledged to prioritize the welfare of the poor and marginalized, ensure equal treatment under the law, and pursue a foreign policy aimed at improving relations with neighboring countries and global powers.

Following his nomination as PTI's candidate for prime minister, Khan promised to be publicly accountable, pledging to hold weekly sessions to answer questions from the public. He proceeded to make nominations and appointments for key government positions, including Asad Umar as finance minister, Imran Ismail as Governor of Sindh, and Mahmood Khan as Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khan's party also nominated individuals for various other positions at both national and provincial levels, including Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar as Governor of Punjab, Asad Qaiser as Speaker of the National Assembly, and Sardar Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister of Punjab. These nominations reflected a mix of party insiders and alliances with other political factions.

Khan holding a media press with Arif Alvi during the 2018 electoral campaign

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In opposition

 See also: 2014 Azadi march, Pervez Khattak administration, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Investment Roadshow, and Panama Papers case

Khan led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf became the opposition party in Punjab and Sindh. Khan became the parliamentary leader of his party. On 31 July 2013, Khan was issued a contempt of court notice for allegedly criticising the superior judiciary, and his use of the word shameful for the judiciary. The notice was discharged after Khan submitted before the Supreme Court that he criticised the lower judiciary for their actions during the May 2013 general election while those judicial officers were working as returning officers. Khan's party swept the militancy-hit northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and formed the provincial government. PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government presented a balanced, tax-free budget for the fiscal year 2013–14. During his provincial government, Khan was criticised for his support for Sami-ul-Haq, the "Father of the Taliban," and giving funds to his seminary, Darul Uloom Haqqania.

Khan believed that terrorist activities by the Pakistani Taliban could be stopped through dialogue with them and even offered them to open an office in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He accused the United States of sabotaging peace efforts with the Pakistani Taliban by killing its leader Hakimullah Mehsud in a drone strike in 2013. He demanded the government to block NATO supply line in retaliation for the killing of the TTP leader. On 13 November 2013, Khan, being party leader, ordered Pervez Khattak to dismiss ministers of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) who were allegedly involved in corruption. Bakht Baidar and Ibrar Hussan Kamoli of Qaumi Watan Party, ministers for Manpower and Industry and Forest and Environment, respectively, were dismissed. Khan ordered Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to end the alliance with QWP. The Chief Minister also dismissed Minister for Communication and Works of PTI Yousuf Ayub Khan due to a fake degree.

A year after elections, on 11 May 2014, Khan alleged that 2013 general elections were rigged in favour of the ruling PML (N). On 14 August 2014, Imran Khan led a rally of supporters from Lahore to Islamabad, demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's resignation and investigation into alleged electoral fraud. On its way to the capital Khan's convoy was attacked by stones from PML (N) supporters in Gujranwala; however, there were no fatalities. Khan was reported to be attacked with guns which forced him to travel in a bullet-proof vehicle. On 15 August, Khan-led protesters entered the capital and a few days later marched into the high-security Red Zone; on 1 September 2014, according to Al Jazeera, protesters attempted to storm Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's official residence, which prompted the outbreak of violence. Three people died and more than 595 people were injured, including 115 police officers. Prior to the violence that resulted in deaths, Khan asked his followers to take law into their own hands.

By September 2014, Khan had entered into a de facto alliance with Canadian-Pakistani cleric Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri; both have aimed to mobilise their supporters for regime change. Khan entered into an agreement with the Sharif administration to establish a three-member high-powered judicial commission which would be formed under a presidential ordinance. The commission would make its final report public. If the commission found a country-wide pattern of rigging proved, the prime minister would dissolve the national and provincial assemblies in terms of the articles 58(1) and 112(1) of the Constitution – thereby meaning that the premier would also appoint the caretaker setup in consultation with the leader of the opposition and fresh elections would be held. He also met Syed Mustafa Kamal, when he was in the opposition.

Voice of America reports on Khan-led protests in late 2014.

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2013 elections campaign

 See also: Pervez Khattak administration and Pakistani general election, 2013

Khan with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry after the 2013 elections

On 21 April 2013, Khan launched his final public relations campaign for the 2013 Pakistani general election from Lahore, where he addressed thousands of supporters at the Mall. Khan announced that he would withdraw Pakistan from the US-led war on terror and bring peace to the Pashtun tribal belt. He addressed different public meetings in various cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country, where he announced that PTI would introduce a uniform education system in which the children of rich and poor would have equal opportunities. Khan concluded his south Punjab campaign by addressing rallies in various Seraiki belt cities.

Khan concluded the campaign by addressing a rally of supporters in Islamabad via a video link while lying on a bed at a hospital in Lahore. The last survey before the elections by The Herald showed 24.98 percent of voters nationally planned to vote for his party, just a whisker behind former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's PML-N. On 7 May, just four days before the elections, Khan was rushed to Shaukat Khanum hospital in Lahore after he tumbled from a forklift at the edge of a stage and fell headfirst to the ground. The 2013 Pakistani general election was held on 11 May throughout the country. The elections resulted in a clear majority of Pakistan Muslim League (N). Khan's PTI emerged as the second-largest party by popular vote nationally, including in Karachi. Khan's party PTI won 30 directly elected parliamentary seats and became the third-largest party in the National Assembly behind Pakistan People's Party, which was second.

Khan with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry after the 2013 elections

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Early political career

Initial years

Khan tearing his nomination paper for the National Assembly at a press conference; he boycotted the 2008 elections.

Khan was offered political positions more than a few times during his cricketing career. In 1987, President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq offered him a political position in Pakistan Muslim League (PML) which he politely declined. Khan was also invited by Nawaz Sharif to join his political party. In 1993, Khan was appointed as the ambassador for tourism in the caretaker government of Moeenuddin Ahmad Qureshi and held the portfolio for three months until the government dissolved. In 1994, Khan joined the Jamiat-e-Pasban, a breakaway faction of Jamaat-e-Islami, of Hamid Gul and Muhammad Ali Durrani. On 25 April 1996, Khan founded a political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He ran for the seat of National Assembly of Pakistan in 1997 Pakistani general election as a candidate of PTI from two constituencies – NA-53, Mianwali and NA-94, Lahore – but was unsuccessful and lost both the seats to candidates of PML (N).

Khan tearing his nomination paper for the National Assembly at a press conference; he boycotted the 2008 elections.

Khan supported General Pervez Musharraf's military coup in 1999, believing Musharraf would "end corruption, clear out the political mafias". According to Khan, he was Musharraf's choice for prime minister in 2002 but turned down the offer. Khan participated in the October 2002 Pakistani general election that took place across 272 constituencies and was prepared to form a coalition if his party did not get a majority of the vote. He was elected from Mianwali. In the 2002 Pakistani referendum, Khan supported military dictator General Musharraf, while all mainstream democratic parties declared that referendum as unconstitutional. He also served as a part of the Standing Committees on Kashmir and Public Accounts. On 6 May 2005, Khan was mentioned in The New Yorker as being the "most directly responsible" for drawing attention in the Muslim world to the Newsweek story about the alleged desecration of the Qur'an in a US military prison at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. In June 2007, Khan faced political opponents in and outside the parliament.

On 2 October 2007, as part of the All Parties Democratic Movement, Khan joined 85 other MPs to resign from Parliament in protest of the presidential election scheduled for 6 October, which General Musharraf was contesting without resigning as army chief. On 3 November 2007, Khan was put under house arrest, after President Musharraf declared a state of emergency in Pakistan. Later Khan escaped and went into hiding. He eventually came out of hiding on 14 November to join a student protest at the University of the Punjab. At the rally, Khan was captured by student activists from the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba and roughly treated. He was arrested during the protest and was sent to the Dera Ghazi Khan jail in the Punjab province where he spent a few days before being released.

Khan at the conference "Rule of Law: The Case of Pakistan" organised by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Berlin

Khan at the conference "Rule of Law: The Case of Pakistan" organised by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Berlin

On 30 October 2011, Khan addressed more than 100,000 supporters in Lahore, challenging the policies of the government, calling that new change a "tsunami" against the ruling parties. Another successful public gathering of hundreds of thousands of supporters was held in Karachi on 25 December 2011. Since then Khan became a real threat to the ruling parties and a future political prospect in Pakistan. According to an International Republican Institute's survey, Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf tops the list of popular parties in Pakistan both at the national and provincial level.

On 6 October 2012, Khan joined a vehicle caravan of protesters from Islamabad to the village of Kotai in Pakistan's South Waziristan region against US drone missile strikes. On 23 March 2013, Khan introduced the Naya Pakistan Resolution (New Pakistan) at the start of his election campaign. On 29 April The Observer termed Khan and his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as the main opposition to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. Between 2011 and 2013, Khan and Nawaz Sharif began to engage each other in a bitter feud. The rivalry between the two leaders grew in late 2011 when Khan addressed his largest crowd at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. From 26 April 2013, in the run up to the elections, both the PML-N and the PTI started to criticise each other.

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Foreign relations

In foreign relations, he dealt with border skirmishes against India, strengthened relations with China and Russia, while relations with the United States cooled. In 2010, Khan said in an interview: "I grew up hating India because I grew up in Lahore and there were massacres of 1947, so much bloodshed and anger. But as I started touring India, I got such love and friendship there that all this disappeared." Khan views the Kashmir issue as a humanitarian issue, as opposed to a territorial dispute between two countries (India and Pakistan). He also proposed secret talks to settle the issue as he thinks the vested interests on both sides will try to subvert them. He ruled out a military solution to the conflict and denied the possibility of a fourth war between India and Pakistan over the disputed mountainous region.

Khan publicly demanded a Pakistani apology towards the Bangladeshi people for the atrocities committed in 1971. He called the 1971 operation a "blunder" and likened it to today's treatment of Pashtuns in the war on terror. He repeatedly criticised the war crimes trials in Bangladesh in favour of the convicts. In August 2012, the Pakistani Taliban issued death threats if he went ahead with his march to their tribal stronghold along the Afghan border to protest US drone attacks, because he calls himself a "liberal" – a term they associate with a lack of religious belief. On 1 October 2012, prior to his plan to address a rally in South Waziristan, senior commanders of Pakistani Taliban said after a meeting headed by the Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud that they now offered Khan security assistance for the rally because of Khan's opposition to drone attacks in Pakistan, reversing their previous stance.

His sympathetic position toward the Pakistani Taliban and Afghan Taliban, as well as his criticism of the US-led war on terror, has earned him the moniker "Taliban Khan" in Pakistani politics. He believes in negotiations with Taliban and the pull out of the Pakistan Army from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). He is against US drone strikes and plans to disengage Pakistan from the US-led war on terror. Khan also opposes almost all military operations, including the Siege of Lal Masjid.

In 2014, when Pakistani Taliban announced armed struggle against Isma'ili Muslims, denouncing them as non-Muslims, and the Kalash people, Khan released a statement describing "forced conversions as un-Islamic". He has also condemned the incidents of forced conversion of Hindu girls in Sindh. Following the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021, Khan congratulated the Taliban for their victory in the 2001–2021 war, and urged the international community to support their new government. He also said that his government was negotiating a peace deal with the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) with the help of the Afghan Taliban.

On 8 January 2016, Khan visited the embassies of Iran and Saudi Arabia in Islamabad and met their head of commissions to understand their stances about the conflict that engulfed both nations after the execution of Sheikh Nimr by Saudi Arabia. He urged the Government of Pakistan to play a positive role to resolve the matter between both countries. After parliament passed a unanimous resolution keeping Pakistan out of the War in Yemen in April 2015, Khan claimed that his party was responsible for "many critical clauses" of the resolution. In July 2018, the Saudi-based Islamic Development Bank activated its $4.5 billion oil financing facility for Pakistan.

Khan's support for Pakistan's blasphemy laws carried over into relations with the West. In 2021 he called on "Muslim countries to pressure Western governments to make insulting" the Islamic Prophet Muhammad a crime, "likening this measure to laws against Holocaust denial". He urged Muslims to launch a boycott on products of countries that do not punish "insult" to "the honour of the prophet". Blasphemy is a "sensitive subject" in Pakistan—at least 78 people have been murdered in mob violence and targeted attacks related to blasphemy accusations since 1990. French president Emmanuel Macron became a lightning rod after defending a "publication's right to republish caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad", which many Pakistanis consider blasphemous.

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Political ideology

 

Domestic policies

Adopting his broader paradigm from the poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal and the Iranian writer-sociologist Ali Shariati he encountered in his youth; Khan is generally described as a Pakistani nationalist as well as a populist. Khan's proclaimed political platform and declarations include Islamic values, to which he rededicated himself in the 1990s; liberal economics, with the promise of deregulating the economy and creating a welfare state; decreased bureaucracy and the implementation of anti-corruption laws to create and ensure a clean government; the establishment of an independent judiciary; overhaul of the country's police system; and an anti-militant vision for a democratic Pakistan.

After the result of 2018 Pakistani general election, Khan said he would try to remake Pakistan based on the ideology of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. During his government, Khan addressed a balance of payments crisis with a bailout from the IMF. He presided over a shrinking current account deficit, and limited defence spending to curtail the fiscal deficit, leading to some general economic growth. He enacted policies that increased tax collection in Pakistan, as well as investments, and the energy policy of Pakistan under Khan saw his government committed to a renewable energy transition. Khan's government also launched the social safety net and poverty alleviation Ehsaas Programme and the Plant for Pakistan initiative, which expanded the protected areas of Pakistan, and he presided over the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, which caused economic turmoil and rising inflation in the country and threatened Khan's political position.

Khan's failure to revive the economy of Pakistan and the rising inflation rate caused him political problems. Despite his promised anti-corruption campaign, the perception of corruption in Pakistan worsened during his rule. He was accused of political victimisation of opponents and clamping down on freedom of expression and dissent. On 10 April 2022, Khan became the country's first prime minister to be ousted through a no-confidence motion vote in parliament. On 22 August 2022, Khan was charged by the Pakistani police under anti-terror laws after Khan accused the police and judiciary of detaining and torturing his close aide.

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In 1996, Khan successfully defended

In 1996, Khan successfully defended himself in a libel action brought forth by former English captain and all-rounder Ian Botham and batsman Allan Lamb over comments they alleged were made by Khan in two articles about the above-mentioned ball-tampering and another article published in an Indian magazine, India Today. They claimed that, in the latter publication, Khan had called the two cricketers "racist, ill-educated and lacking in class." Khan protested that he had been misquoted, saying that he was defending himself after having admitted that he tampered with a ball in a county match 18 years ago. Khan won the libel case, which the judge labelled a "complete exercise in futility", with a 10–2 majority decision by the jury. Also, Khan had served as a domestic league coach.

Khan served as the chancellor of the University of Bradford between November 2005 and November 2014. Since retiring, Khan has written opinion pieces on cricket for various British and Asian newspapers, especially regarding the Pakistani national team. His contributions have been published in the Indian magazine Outlook, The Guardian, The Independent, and The Daily Telegraph. Khan also sometimes appears as a cricket commentator on Asian and British sports networks, including BBC Urdu, as well as the Star TV network. In 2004, when the Indian cricket team toured Pakistan after 14 years, he was a commentator on TEN Sports' special live show, Straight Drive, while he was also a Sify columnist for the 2005 India-Pakistan Test series. He has provided analysis for every cricket World Cup since 1992, which includes providing match summaries for the BBC during the 1999 Cricket World Cup. He holds as a captain the world record for taking most wickets, best bowling strike rate and best bowling average in Test, and best bowling figures (8 wickets for 60 runs) in a Test innings, and also most five-wicket hauls (6) in a Test innings in wins.

On 23 November 2005, Khan was appointed as the chancellor of University of Bradford, succeeding Betty Lockwood. On 26 February 2014, University of Bradford Union floated a motion to remove Khan from the post over Khan's absence from every graduation ceremony since 2010. Khan announced that he would step down on 30 November 2014, citing his "increasing political commitments". Brian Cantor, the university's vice-chancellor, said Khan had been "a wonderful role model for our students".

Philanthropy

Main articles: Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre and Namal College

During the 1990s, Khan also served as UNICEF's Special Representative for Sports and promoted health and immunization programmed in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. While in London, he also works with the Lord's Taverners, a cricket charity. Khan focused his efforts solely on social work. By 1991, he had founded the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust, a charity organization bearing the name of his mother, Mrs. Shaukat Khanum. As the Trust's maiden endeavor, Khan established Pakistan's first and only cancer hospital, constructed using donations and funds exceeding $25 million, raised by Khan from all over the world.

On 27 April 2008, Khan established a technical college in the Mianwali District called Namal College. It was built by the Mianwali Development Trust (MDT) and is an associate college of the University of Bradford in December 2005. Imran Khan Foundation is another welfare work, which aims to assist needy people all over Pakistan. It has provided help to flood victims in Pakistan. Buksh Foundation has partnered with the Imran Khan Foundation to light up villages in Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali and Dera Ismail Khan under the project 'Lighting a Million Lives'. The campaign will establish several Solar Charging Stations in the selected off-grid villages and will provide villagers with solar lanterns, which can be regularly charged at the solar-charging stations.

Khan served as the chancellor of the University of Bradford between November 2005 and November 2014.

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Post-retirement from cricket

 

Khan at a political rally in Peshawar in 1996

After retiring, Khan remarked that there was ball tampering during his early cricketing days when playing domestic cricket. Khan had said that, during matches, he "occasionally scratched the side of the ball and lifted the seam". Khan defended his actions in the same interview, arguing his conduct was commonplace at the time, even that spin bowlers would lift the seam (i.e. mildly ball tamper); further Khan argued that as he did not lift the seam of the ball above the normal level, he was not violating the rules and spirit of the game within the rules defined whilst he was a player. Further, Khan argued that umpires in his 21 years of cricket had not complained about his conduct; Khan remarked that "The sole judge of fair and unfair play on the cricket field is the umpire". He had also added, "Only once did I use an object. When Sussex was playing Hampshire in 1981 the ball was not deviating at all. I got the 12th man to bring out a bottle top and it started to move around a lot."

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Cricket Career

Imran Khan began his cricketing journey at the tender age of 16 in Lahore. By the early 1970s, he was representing various teams including Lahore A (1969–1970), Lahore B (1969–1970), Lahore Greens (1970–1971), and eventually Lahore (1970–1971). Khan also played for the University of Oxford's Blues Cricket team from 1973 to 1975. His stint in English county cricket spanned from 1971 to 1976 with Worcestershire. Additionally, he played for Dawood Industries (1975–1976) and Pakistan International Airlines (1975–1976, 1980–1981). From 1983 to 1988, he represented Sussex.

Khan made his Test cricket debut against England in June 1971 at Edgbaston. Three years later, in August 1974, he played his first One Day International (ODI) match, again facing England at Trent Bridge for the Prudential Trophy. Upon completing his studies at Oxford and his tenure at Worcestershire, he returned to Pakistan in 1976, securing a permanent place in the national team starting from the 1976–1977 season, which included series against New Zealand and Australia. Subsequently, he ventured to the West Indies and was recruited by Tony Greig for Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket. Khan's reputation as one of the fastest bowlers burgeoned, as he clocked an impressive 139.7 km/h at Perth in 1978, ranking third behind Jeff Thomson and Michael Holding but ahead of Dennis Lillee, Garth Le Roux, and Andy Roberts. Khan was also a pioneer of the reverse swing bowling technique during the late 1970s, passing on his knowledge to the likes of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, who later mastered and popularised it.

Initially, Khan bowled with a relatively chest-on action at medium-pace; however, he diligently remodelled his action to a more classical type and worked on strengthening his body to become a fast bowler. Khan reached his zenith as a fast bowler from January 1980 to 1988. During this period, he amassed 236 Test wickets at an average of 17.77, including 18 five-wicket hauls and 5 ten-wicket hauls. His bowling average and strike rate surpassed renowned bowlers such as Richard Hadlee (19.03), Malcolm Marshall (20.20), Dennis Lillee (24.07), Joel Garner (20.62), and Michael Holding (23.68). In January 1983, during a match against India, Khan achieved a Test bowling rating of 922 points, ranking third in the ICC's All-Time Test Bowling Rankings (although calculated retrospectively as ICC player ratings were not in existence at the time).

Khan achieved the all-rounder's triple (securing 3000 runs and 300 wickets) in just 75 Tests, second only to Ian Botham's 72. Additionally, he holds the second-highest batting average of 61.86 for a Test batsman playing at position 6 in the batting order. His final Test match for Pakistan took place in January 1992 against Sri Lanka at Faisalabad. Khan retired from cricket permanently six months after his last ODI, the historic 1992 Cricket World Cup Final against England in Melbourne, Australia. He concluded his illustrious career with 88 Test matches, 126 innings, 3807 runs at an average of 37.69, including six centuries and 18 fifties. As a bowler, he claimed 362 wickets in Test cricket, making him the first Pakistani and the world's fourth bowler to achieve this milestone.In ODIs, he played 175 matches, scored 3709 runs at an average of 33.41, with a highest score of 102 not out. His best ODI bowling performance was 6 wickets for 14 runs, a record for the best bowling figures by any bowler in an ODI innings in a losing cause.

Captaincy

In 1982, at the pinnacle of his career, the thirty-year-old Khan assumed the captaincy of the Pakistan cricket team from Javed Miandad.As captain, Khan led Pakistan in 48 Test matches, winning 14, losing 8, and drawing 26. He also captained in 139 ODIs, winning 77, losing 57, and one ending in a tie.

Under Khan's leadership, Pakistan clinched their first Test victory on English soil in 28 years at Lord's. Khan's inaugural year as captain marked the zenith of his legacy as both a fast bowler and an all-rounder. He delivered the best Test bowling performance of his career, taking 8 wickets for 58 runs against Sri Lanka at Lahore in 1981–1982.Furthermore, he topped both bowling and batting averages against England in a three-Test series in 1982, claiming 21 wickets and averaging 56 with the bat. Later that year, he showcased an outstanding performance in a home series against India, taking 40 wickets in six Tests at an average of 13.95. By the culmination of this series in 1982–1983, Khan had scalped 88 wickets in 13 Test matches over the course of a year as captain. However, this Test series against India also resulted in a stress fracture in his shin, sidelining him from cricket for over two years. He made a triumphant return to international cricket by the end of 1984, following an experimental treatment funded by the Pakistani government.

In 1987, during a tour of India, Khan led Pakistan to their first-ever Test series victory, followed by their maiden series triumph in England later that year.[91] Throughout the 1980s, his team also managed three commendable draws against the West Indies. Khan and his team co-hosted the 1987 Cricket World Cup with India, though neither side advanced beyond the semi-finals. Khan retired from international cricket after the World Cup. However, in 1988, he was summoned back to the captaincy by the President of Pakistan, General Zia-Ul-Haq, and on 18 January, he announced his return to the team.

Upon resuming the captaincy, Khan guided Pakistan to another victorious tour in the West Indies, which he later described as "the last time I really bowled well". He was honoured as the Man of the Series against the West Indies in 1988, having taken 23 wickets in three Tests. Khan's career reached its zenith as a captain and cricketer when he led Pakistan to triumph in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Despite facing challenges with a fragile batting line-up, Khan promoted himself as a top-order batsman alongside Javed Miandad. At the age of 39, Khan claimed the final wicket himself, securing Pakistan's victory in the World Cup final against England in Melbourne, Australia.

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Personal life of Imran Khan

 

Imran Khan had numerous relationships during his bachelor   He was then known as a hedonistic bachelor and a playboy who was active on the London nightclub circuit. Many girlfriends are unknown and were called "mysterious blondes" by British newspaper The Times. Some of the women he has been associated with include Zeenat Aman, Emma Sergeant, Susie Murray-Philipson, Sita White, Sarah Crawley, Stephanie Beacham, Goldie Hawn, Kristiane Backer, Susannah Constantine, Marie Helvin, Caroline Kellet , Liza Campbell, Anastasia Cooke, Hannah Rothschild, and Lulu Blacker.

His first girlfriend, Emma Sergeant, an artist and the daughter of British investor Sir Patrick Sergeant, introduced him to socialites. They first met in 1982 and subsequently visited Pakistan. She accompanied him on various Pakistani cricket team tours including in Peshawar and Australian tour. After long separations, his relationship with Sergeant was broken in 1986. He then had a short relationship with Susie Murray-Philipson whom he invited to Pakistan and had dinner with in 1982. She also made various artistic portraits of Khan during their relationship.

In a book published in 2009, Christopher Sandford claimed that Khan and former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had a close relationship when both were students in Oxford. He wrote that Bhutto at the age of 21 first became close to Khan in 1975. They remained in a relationship for about two months. His mother also tried to have an arranged marriage between them. He further claimed that they had a "romantic relationship", which was refuted by Khan who said they were only friends.[

Khan allegedly has a daughter, Tyrian Jade, with his ex-girlfriend Sita White, daughter of the British industrialist Gordon White. Born in June 1992, Tyrian became a subject of dispute as Khan denied paternity and willed for a paternity test in Pakistan, stating he would accept the decision of the Pakistani courts. Legal actions in 1997 led to a California court declaring Khan as the father without a DNA test. After Sita White's death in 2004, Jemima, Khan's wife at the time and Sita's friend, was designated as Tyrian's legal guardian by Sita in her will. Khan stated that Tyrian would be welcome to join their family in London, leaving the decision entirely up to her, given her established relationship with his and Jemima's sons.

Khan's former wife, Reham Khan, alleged in her book that he had told her that he had four other children out of wedlock in addition to Tyrian White. Allegedly, some of his children had Indian mothers and the eldest was aged 34 in 2018. Reham subsequently conceded that she did not know the identities of Khan's children or the veracity of his statements and that "you can never make out whether he tells the truth. Reham's book was published on 12 July 2018, 13 days before the 2018 Pakistani general election, leading to claims that its publication was intended to damage Imran Khan's electoral prospects.

On 16 May 1995, Khan married Jemima Goldsmith, in a two-minute ceremony conducted in Urdu in Paris. A month later, on 21 June, they were married again in a civil ceremony at the Richmond registry office in England. Jemima converted to Islam upon marriage. The couple have two sons, Sulaiman Isa and Kasim.On 22 June 2004, it was announced that the couple had divorced, ending the nine-year marriage because it was "difficult for Jemima to adapt to life in Pakistan.

In January 2015, it was announced that Khan had married British-Pakistani journalist Reham Khan in a private Nikah ceremony at his residence in Islamabad. Reham Khan later states in her autobiography that they in fact got married in October 2014 but the announcement only came in January the year after. On 22 October 2015, they announced their intention to file for divorce.

In mid-2016, late 2017 and early 2018, reports emerged that Khan had married his spiritual mentor (murshid), Bushra Bibi. Khan himself,alongside PTI aides, as well as members of the Manika family, denied the rumour. Khan termed the media "unethical" for spreading the rumour,and PTI filed a complaint against the news channels that had aired it. On 7 January 2018, the PTI central secretariat issued a statement that said Khan had proposed to Manika, but she had not yet accepted his proposal. On 18 February 2018, PTI confirmed Khan has married Manika. According to Khan, his life has been influenced by Sufism for three decades, and this is what drew him closer to his wife. The Mufti who conducted the marriage later testified to a court that Khan's nikah had been conducted twice. The first nikah was conducted on 1 January 2018, while his to-be wife was still in her Iddat, as Khan believed he would become prime minister if he married her on that date.

Khan resided in his sprawling farmhouse at Bani Gala. As of 2018, he owned five pet dogs, who resided in his estate.

Imran Khan Young

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Early life and family of Imran Khan

 Information: Family of Imran Khan

Imran Khan was born in Lahore on 5 October 1952.  Earlier, some reports suggest he was born on 25 November 1952. It was reported that 5 October was wrongly mentioned by Pakistan Cricket Board officials on his passport. He is the only son of Ikramullah Khan Niazi, a civil engineer, and his wife Shaukat Khanum, and has four sisters. Long settled in Mianwali in northwestern Punjab, his paternal family are of Pashtun descent and belong to the Niazi tribe, and one of his ancestors, Haibat Khan Niazi, in the 16th century, "was one of Sher Shah Suri's leading generals, as well as being the governor of Punjab. "Khan's maternal family has produced a number of cricketers, including those who have represented Pakistan, such as his cousins Javed Burki and Majid Khan. Maternally, Khan is also a descendant of the Sufi warrior-poet and inventor of the Pashto alphabet, Pir Roshan, who hailed from his maternal family's ancestral Kaniguram town located in South Waziristan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. His maternal family was based in Basti Danishmanda, Jalandhar in Punjab, India for about 600 years, and migrated to Lahore after the independence of Pakistan.

A quiet and shy boy in his youth, Khan grew up with his sisters in relatively affluent, upper middle-class circumstances and received a privileged education. He was educated at the Aitchison College and Cathedral School in Lahore, and then the Royal Grammar School Worcester in England, where he excelled at cricket. In 1972, he enrolled in Keble College, Oxford where he studied philosophy, politics and economics, graduating in 1975.[28] An enthusiast for college cricket at Keble, Paul Hayes, was instrumental in securing the admission of Khan, after he had been turned down by Cambridge.

Imran Khan with his parents and sisters' 

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