Do you hope to be president or prime minister of Pakistan one day?
Not president, prime minister. I don’t hope – I’m convinced that in the next election my party, Tehreek-e-Insaf [Movement for Justice], will win. In every university, it is by far the most popular party in Pakistan; it’s the party of the young.
What is the political atmosphere like?
What you have today is a media that you can no longer control, a supreme court that is independent, though it is under attack, and a young generation who all want a change.
Is there a sense of rebellion in the country?
There is a general movement for change, reflected in the public support for the chief justice [ousted by General Pervez Musharraf in 2007]. Ordinary citizens realise that they want to get rid of a corrupt system.
Who is responsible for Pakistan’s corruption?
The collective political mafia. They’re in politics for one reason – it’s the biggest business. Look at Nawaz Sharif [the ex-prime minister] and Asif Zardari [the current president] and the sort of properties and businesses they’ve got.
What did you think of General Musharraf?
By taking us into the war on terror, he probably did more damage than anyone else to the people of Pakistan.
What’s your solution to the war in Afghanistan?
There has to be an exit strategy; Nato has to leave Afghanistan. Otherwise more and more people will be dying, most of them innocent.
Are they not dying at the hands of the Taliban?
Whether they’re dying at the hands of the Taliban or the government does not matter, as the war is not being won. All the Taliban have to do to win is not lose – and they’re not losing, because more and more areas are coming under Taliban control.
Has Barack Obama had a positive impact?
President Obama had a golden opportunity. I wrote an open letter to him when he became president, saying that he should not own George Bush’s war in Afghanistan, that it was a tried and failed strategy. He has done exactly what he should not have done. David Cameron should not have owned Tony Blair’s war and Obama should not have owned Bush’s war.
You were educated in Britain. What are your fondest memories of that time?
The summer, because the summer in Pakistan used to be boiling hot. And the cricket. I also loved London – it was such a melting pot.
How were you influenced by your relationship with your mother?
I was very close to her, and then seeing her suffer [she died of cancer in 1985] had a big impact on me. Until then I had no real pain in my life. Also, a lot of my value system came from her because she was very political: she had lived under colonial rule and was always anti-imperialist.
You’re now a parent. Do you want your sons to follow in your footsteps?
I would want my sons always to be political, because human beings are political. It means caring about your environment and the people you live with. I want them to raise their voice against injustice in society.
What about cricket?
I would want them to play sport, but not necessarily at the level I played. Sport teaches you to struggle, it strengthens you. It’s a great character-building experience.
Who’s your favourite cricketer?
I don’t really follow cricket that much these days. But Sachin Tendulkar is still the best batsman. And the two young Pakistani players Mohammad Asif and Umar Akmal are oozing with talent.
What does your faith mean to you?
A complete faith in God changes you as a human being. You become human, in the sense that you become selfless, you’re more compassionate and you become more just – you feel you’re accountable to a higher force.
Did your political ambitions cost you your marriage to Jemima Khan?
I don’t look upon life like that. Life is a journey, and marriage works if two people are on the same journey. Sadly, my ex-wife could not live in Pakistan after a while – she found it very difficult. I have the greatest admiration for how much she tried, but you come to a point where [you realise] it was not meant to be.
Do you keep in touch with Jemima’s brother Zac, now a Tory MP?
I campaigned for Zac. He’s like a younger brother. He has a great sense of justice; he is the sort of person who should be in politics.
What would you like to forget?
It’s all part of life – I have no regrets.
Are we all doomed?
No, I’m a great optimist.
Defining Moments
1952 Born in Lahore
1971 Makes his Test debut against England at Edgbaston
1972 Begins BA in PPE at Oxford
1992 Leads Pakistan to Cricket World Cup victory, then turns his focus to social work
1995 Marries Jemima Goldsmith; they divorce in 2004
1996 Launches Tehreek-e-Insaf party
2009 Placed under house arrest ahead of anti-government protests
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