Exploding Cherries

Mohammed Hanif March 16, 2009 00:00 IST Exploding Cherries -0001-11-30T00:00:00+05:53

Cricket legend and self-appointed cheerleader for the Taliban, Imran Khan, told an Australian TV channel in October that militants would never attack a cricket match or cricketers in his country because Pakistanis love cricket too much. I am not sure where Imran Khan got the impression that militants respect people’s favourite pastime. It might have something to do with the Pakistani cricketer’s newfound love for orthodox Islam. Some of our star players like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammed Yousuf and Shahid Afridi are now full-time preachers and part-time cricketers. On the crease, some of the juniors even mutter verses from the Quran before facing a fast bowler. Khan may have concluded that the militants would spare their brothers in faith after seeing their piety on the pitch. He forgot about the visiting teams, for whom cricket might be their only religion.

A tragic and terrifying attack like the one that happened in Lahore this week is no time to remind celebrities how naive they can be in their public pronouncements. Imran Khan is one of...