Ramiz Raja, the former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, has shared a harrowing incident from Ziaul Haq’s martial law era when the match was stopped for flogging.

“The stadium was initially empty, but suddenly 10,000 people entered the premises. Some police officers also arrived and an officer summoned me and ordered me to remove the wickets,” he said in an interview with Suno Sports.

When Raja asked about the reason, the officer said that someone would be flogged as a punishment.

“After that, a prisoner was brought, and a person started whipping the prisoner as he ran, similar to pacer Haris Rauf. The prisoner then waved to the crowd as if he was a hero. Immediately after, everyone left the stadium, and the match resumed,” he said.

The former PCB chairman described the incident as a “historic” moment in his life. It was a first-class cricket match.

Raja has had a prominent influence in various roles in Pakistani cricket. As a cricketer, he represented Pakistan in the 1980s and 1990s and was also a part of the 1992 Cricket World Cup winning team, known for his right-handed batting.