Over the weekend, Imran announced that he would join the march in Rawalpindi on Saturday, November 26, from where he would eventually move to the capital. England will fly from Abu Dhabi to Islamabad the same evening.
PCB has a back-up itinerary, with the first Test being played in Karachi. However, he confirmed his intentions to go ahead with Rawalpindi over the weekend.
PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja and High Commissioner Christian Turner met Imran at his Lahore residence, Zaman Park, where the former prime minister is recuperating from injuries to his right leg in the assassination attack.
Although he is no longer in power, Imran is one of the most influential figures on Pakistan’s current political landscape – the meeting itself is an indication of that influence. He has been calling for fresh general elections since his ouster in April this year and has consolidated his support behind him in a series of protest rallies. The long march is expected to attract large crowds and though security will be beefed up around Imran, he said. The Telegraph Last week that he was expecting another assassination attempt on his life.
As a former Pakistan captain – the country’s most successful – Imran was the PCB’s board trustee until his ouster, and he was at the time of his rally and the England series, his first Test tour of the country. will be well aware of the possible effects of Since 2005
After Rawalpindi, the series will move to Multan (December 9-13) and then Karachi (December 17-21) for the final Test.
