ISLAMABAD         -         Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that strength and courage of late boxer Muhammad Ali continue to inspire people across the world even today. In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said he believes that Muhammad Ali was the greatest sportsman, not only because he was talented, intelligent and courageous, but because his beliefs went beyond material considerations to a conviction that humans, unlike animals, had a higher purpose of existence. Imran Khan said in standing up for his beliefs in the face of all odds, Muhammad Ali sacrificed the best years of his sporting life and lucrative earnings. A 20th century icon, whose fame transcended sport during a remarkable career that spanned over three decades, died on June 3, 2016 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He took the name of Muhammad Ali after embracing Islam in 1964, soon after he had stunned the sport by claiming the title with a monumental upset of Liston. He was vilified in some quarters for that conversion and his outspoken stance on Vietnam and civil rights issues. His refusal to fight in Vietnam saw him prosecuted for draft evasion, and led to him being effectively banned for boxing for three years of his prime. But he held firm to his beliefs and eventually earned accolades as an activist. He received the highest US civilian honour, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 2005.