Imran Khan is known for making a politically charged statements that have raised eyebrows, both when he was captain of the Pakistan team and later in his role as a politician. The first of these statements came during an India Pakistan match in Sharjah where Imran remarked, "Let's settle the Kashmir issue over the cricket match". Though Imran claimed that he had made that statement only casually. Versions of this statement are often used as jokes in Pakistan
In 2005, as leader of his party, Imran led a protest rally against the US led coalition which had desecrated the Holy Quran and made statements denouncing the Musharraf-Bush coalition. He described Musharraf as President Bush's Blue-Eye-Boy, however President Clinton was even reluctant to shake hand with Musharraf. Imran continues to be critical of Pro-American policies of Pakistan government. On December 7th 2005, he was elected as the Chancellor of University of Bradford, the first international personality to have been given the honour by the university. During the recent visit in 2006 of George W. Bush to Pakistan, Imran was the only politician to attempt to hold a rally against his visit. The rally was stopped and Imran Khan was detained by the police. |