Popular Pakistani cricket journalist Sanaullah Khan has made a public appeal to senior political leadership after his brother was reportedly kidnapped, sharing that the incident occurred while his sibling had gone to a school to collect his children. Khan, who is currently in Australia, also referenced the uncertainty surrounding his travel situation and said police had reviewed footage and identified a vehicle, though no definitive breakthrough had been made.
Key takeaways
- Sanaullah Khan says his brother was abducted while going to school to pick up his children.
- Khan is presently in Australia and urged Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to intervene.
- He previously claimed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) blocked him from match coverage and press conferences after a ban.
- Khan alleged that during the Asia Cup in Dubai, the PCB asked local cricket authorities to deny him permission to cover games.
- In his latest video statement, he said the police have checked CCTV footage and traced one car, but nothing conclusive has emerged yet.
- Khan suggested he may have been compelled to leave the UAE as well, based on his posts on X.
From PCB ban to exile-like relocation
Sanaullah Khan, a well-known Pakistani sports commentator who built a large following on YouTube and other social media platforms for candid, outspoken reporting, had earlier come under pressure after he was reportedly barred by the PCB.
While he was still based in Pakistan, Khan repeatedly criticised PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi—who also holds the role of interior minister—over how the board was being run. Not long after his criticisms, the PCB’s Director of Media issued a ban against him, which Khan says effectively prevented him from covering matches at the venue, attending press conferences, and collaborating with major cricket figures in Pakistan, including both current and former players, who he claims were no longer willing to work with him.
Khan’s departure from Pakistan followed what he described as growing frustration. He said he chose to relocate to Dubai in the UAE. However, he alleged that the PCB continued to harass him even after he moved.
During the Asia Cup held in Dubai last year—an edition India won—Khan claimed that, in his own words, the PCB contacted cricket authorities in Dubai and asked them to deny him permission to cover matches. He further said that local authorities responded that they were fine with him covering games, but that his country was the issue.
Support for India cited among reasons
Khan’s situation, as described by his own line of reasoning, may also have been influenced by the kind of cricket content he produced while in Pakistan and afterward. He often praised the Indian men’s cricket team, and he credited the BCCI for how it manages the sport.
In connection with the broader political dimension of his story, the article also noted that Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were urged to take action.
Kidnapping appeal from Australia
After his brother was reportedly kidnapped, Sanaullah Khan—now in Australia—directed a request to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to look into the matter and help his sibling. Khan said his brother had gone to school to pick up his kids when the kidnapping took place.
He did not provide further operational details about the abduction, but he indicated in his video and online messaging on X that he may have had to leave the UAE as well.
In the video shared on X, Khan said: “I request the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Six hours ago, my brother was kidnapped. I am in Australia, and I don’t want to delve into the reasons for my travelling here.”
He added: “My brother had gone to the school to pick up his kids. When he was going to school, he was kidnapped. Six hours have passed since the incident. The police have reviewed the footage and traced one car. Nothing concrete has been found out about the incident. I urge the authorities to look into this matter.”
