As Imran Khan, according to early trends, is expected to be the next prime minister of Pakistan, he also becomes the first international sportsman from that country to become head of state.
Interestingly, Imran isn't the only first-class cricketer to possibly become the head of state. His political rival Nawaz Sharif was a competent club cricketer, whose first-class debut ended in horror when he - in his only appearance in first-class cricket - made a duck.
According to Cricket Country, Sharif was 'A genuine lover of the sport, Sharif was also a decent batsman. As Rameez Raja reminisced at Ceat Cricket Awards 2014: “He played for the same club as I did. I have played a couple of matches with him. He was a fierce cutter of the ball and also played with a straight bat. He really enjoyed his cricket.”'
Despite his skills Sharif’s First-Class career lasted a solitary match — for Railways against PIA B at Karachi Gymkhana. Sharif, two weeks short of his 24th birthday, was drafted in to make his debut alongside Zahid Afridi of PIA B.' He was 24 at the time.
That seems like a long time ago, as Sharif and his daughter are facing jail time over corruption charges against them.
Sharif's PML-N has been touting its delivery of mega infrastructure projects, especially roads and power stations that helped hugely reduce electricity blackouts, as proof the country is on the path to prosperity.
"If we get the opportunity, we will change the destiny of Pakistan," said Shehbaz Sharif, brother of Nawaz and the PML-N president, as he cast his vote in Lahore. "We will bring an end to unemployment, eradicate poverty and promote education".
PML-N's campaign was reinvigorated by the return to Pakistan of Nawaz Sharif, 68, who was earlier this month convicted and sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison over the purchase of upscale London apartments using offshore companies in the mid-1990s. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, Khan's security was stepped up and additional force was deployed around his house as his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party today emerged as the single largest party in the initial trends in the parliamentary elections.
Khan, the PTI's prime ministerial candidate, was provided with VIP security and police has decided to install barriers on road leading to his house, Urdu langauge daily 'Jang' reported, citing police sources.
His party was leading in 75 parliamentary seats while its main rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was ahead on 51 seats in the initial round of counting in an election marred by a deadly suicide attack and allegations of manipulations by the powerful military.
With PTI Inputs
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