Pakistan to meet King Charles during break in Test series
Pakistan will meet King Charles in the gardens of Clarence House this week, in the break between the second and third Test matches against England. The audience comes days after a threat to cancel their England tour surfaced following an interview with Suleiman and Kasim Khan.
The interview was broadcast by Sky Sports during lunch on day one of the second Test, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board to raise the prospect of not resuming the match at Lord's and cancelling the remainder of the three-match series. The England and Wales Cricket Board took government advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and Buckingham Palace said the engagement with the touring side had been planned before the series began.
"His Majesty the King, as Head of the Commonwealth, will receive the Pakistan Men's Test Cricket Team for an audience in the gardens of Clarence House, in the break between the second and third Test matches hosted in England over the summer," said a statement. It is understood His Majesty will spend around 15 minutes with the Pakistan team.
Sky received a complaint before the item was shown but proceeded to air a version of former England captain Michael Atherton's conversation with Suleiman and Kasim. In that interview, Suleiman and Kasim expressed concerns over the treatment and security given to their father and criticised the UK government's response.
Before the interview was aired the Pakistan Cricket Board had publicly considered not resuming the second Test and cancelling the rest of the series; despite the controversy the Pakistan team returned to the field as scheduled after lunch on the opening day. At the close of play on the second day, Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said he and his team did not know about the interview. "I don't know anything. I'm just focusing on the match," said Sarfaraz. "You're talking about the interview? We don't know about the interview."
Imran Khan, aged 73, had a 21-year international career for Pakistan and led his team to the 1992 World Cup. He served as Pakistan's prime minister from 2018 to 2022 and was jailed a year later; in December of last year Imran Khan's sister appealed to King Charles in his position of head of the Commonwealth to speak out, with The Times reporting Aleema Khanum as saying: "Pakistan is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. "Its key principles in the charter are rule of law, democracy, and human rights. A member nation is busy destroying all three fundamental principles. "Member states, especially where King Charles is the head of the Commonwealth organisation, don't speak out against fascism or military dictatorship? What is the point of just organisations then?"
The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mohsin Naqvi, serves as interior minister for the current Pakistan government. The PCB has been contacted for confirmation Naqvi will be present for the audience with the King.
In October, England will tour Pakistan for a one-day tri-series against the home side and Sri Lanka. King Charles met Imran Khan at an event at Clarence House in 2013.
