Mohammad Amir quits cricket alleging mental torture
Karachi, Dec 17: Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir on Thursday announced a dramatic end to his international cricket career, alleging that he has been "mentally tortured" by his national board's management.
The 28-year-old left-arm pacer made the surprise announcement in a video interview released by Pakistani website 'Khel-Shel'.
"I am quitting cricket this time because I have been mentally tortured. I can't bear this torture. I had faced torture from 2010 to 2015, I remained outside cricket for whatever the reason. I served the punishment and did everything," Amir, who is currently in Sri Lanka, said referring to the ban he served for his involvement in spot-fixing.
"But I feel tortured by this continuous talk that PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board)has invested (on me). I can't play under this current management."
Amir had last year quit Tests to focus on white-ball cricket as he felt his body could not take the load of playing all the formats. He claimed 119 wickets from 36 Tests after making his debut in 2009. He served a five-year ban from 2010 to 2015 on charges of spot-fixing.
"I can give my best for Pakistan in white ball cricket. But every month or two they say something about my bowling, or I am ditching this and that, there is no workload on me etc.
"It means that I have been given wake-up call that I am not in the scheme of things and I should be on the sidelines. With all these thought I am doing this (quitting). I am reaching Pakistan in one or two days and I will give a statement stating the reasons," he said alluding to his omission from an ongoing tour of New Zealand.
Bowiling coach Waqar Younis had recently stated that Amir did not quit Tests because of workload and the reasons were best known to the bowler.
Amir was a part of the Pakistan squad which won the 2009 World T20 Cup and was also there when they won the Champions Trophy title in 2017.
He said only two persons -- former PCB chief Najam Sethi and ex Pakistan all-rounder Shaheed Afridi -- had helped him after he came back after serving his ban.
"I will give credit only to these two people. Mr Sethi had helped me single-handedly ... and when everybody said after I came back that don't play with Amir, at that time Afridi helped me."
"I took my personal decision but it was presented in a wrong way that I don't like to play for my country. Who does not want to play for country?" he asked.
Amir participated in the Lankan Premier League (LPL) which concluded on Wednesday.
He bowled exceptionally well in the tournament for the Galle Gladiators, who ended as the runners-up after losing the final to Jaffna Stallions.
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Only teachers can transform individuals into extraordinary citizens: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that only teachers have the power to transform ordinary individuals into extraordinary citizens and urged them to focus on building a better society.
Inaugurating the State-level Educational Mega Conference and Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Karnataka State Primary School Teachers' Association at Tripura Vasini, Palace Grounds, he said teachers are the architects of the nation's future.
"At the time of Independence, the literacy rate was only 12 to 15 per cent. Today it has risen to 74 per cent. We must ask whether we are providing quality education that responds to social issues. This is not the fault of teachers. Because of the deeply rooted caste system, we have not been able to bring about the expected transformation in education," he said.
Emphasising the need for scientific and rational education, he said the Constitution envisages responsible development of individuals through such learning.
"Society is still bound by caste, superstition and regressive practices. Education must help eliminate these," he said, adding that inequality must end for all sections to join the mainstream.
"Only teachers can impart rational and scientific education. Only teachers have the power to transform ordinary people into extraordinary individuals," he said, recalling Mahatma Gandhi's view that development is possible only when intellect, compassion and skill come together.
He urged teachers to discharge their constitutional duties. "Accept ideas only after questioning and reasoning. Teach children to do the same," he said.
Assuring that teachers' demands would be addressed in phases, he said one lakh teachers were recruited when he was the finance minister in the past and that the Sixth and Seventh Pay Commissions had been implemented.
"We will discuss the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in the Cabinet and arrive at a decision," he said.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, speaking at the conference, called upon teachers to prepare students not just to learn history but to create it.
"You are not just nurturing children; you are nurturing society itself. The joy you feel when your students rise to great heights cannot be matched," he said.
He urged teachers to ensure that the quality of education available in Bengaluru reaches every school.
"To realise dreams, children need hard work, commitment and discipline. The foundation laid at the primary level lasts a lifetime," he said.
Announcing measures to strengthen rural education, he said Rs 8,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds would be utilised to improve infrastructure in government schools in villages.
"Migration of children to cities for education must stop. Private schools have been advised to adopt government schools. Through this, we aim to fill 90,000 teaching posts," he said.
Noting that over one lakh teaching posts were vacant, he said approval had recently been given to fill 56,000 posts out of 2.5 lakh vacancies after detailed Cabinet discussions.
He also assured that land would be allotted for the teachers' association building subject to availability and sought teachers' cooperation in booth-level electoral work, stating that their role in ensuring fairness was crucial.
