Cher says she has been a 'big fan' of PM Imran Khan since his cricket days

Music icon Cher expressed her gratitude towards Prime Minister Imran Khan, claiming she has been a fan of him since his cricket days.

Turning to Twitter, the pop star and animal rights campaigner was still elated over the release of Kaavan, an Asian elephant chained up in alarming conditions at the Islamabad Zoo.

The 74-year-old Mamma Mia star thanked the Pakistani premier and heaped praises on him for helping her release Kaavan.

“I was a big fan of you when you played cricket @ImranKhanPTI. I always thought you seemed so kind. Thank you so much for your help. This is a dream come true,” she tweeted.

Last month, a Pakistani court ordered freedom for the lonely elephant, who had become the subject of a high-profile rights campaign backed by the US singer.

"We have just heard from Pakistan High Court Kaavan is free," Cher tweeted Thursday in capital letters, adding a string of emojis and saying she felt "sick".

"This is one of the greatest moments of my life," she said.

Outrage over the treatment of Kaavan at the capital’s Islamabad Zoo went global several years ago with a petition garnering over 200,000 signatures after it emerged he was being chained up.

The Islamabad High Court ordered wildlife officials to consult with Sri Lanka, where the Asian elephant came from, to find him a "suitable sanctuary" within 30 days.

"The pain and suffering of Kaavan must come to an end by relocating him to an appropriate elephant sanctuary, in or outside the country", the court ordered, criticising the zoo for failing to meet the animal’s needs for the past three decades.

The court has also ordered dozens of other animals -- including brown bears, lions and birds -- to be relocated temporarily to while the zoo improves its standards.