A group of 21 former international cricket captains, including prominent figures like India's Sunil Gavaskar and England's Sir Alastair Cook, have sent a letter to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif calling for "proper medical care" for former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Khan, 73, has been incarcerated since August 2023 on corruption charges, which he and his party deny, claiming they are politically motivated. The letter expresses concern over Khan's recent hospital visit, where he was reportedly allowed only a few hours with a state-appointed medical team. Khan's party has also filed a petition against the government for allegedly defying a court order that would allow him to see his own doctors.
The former cricketers outlined three specific demands: that Khan be evaluated by a medical board appointed by Pakistan's Supreme Court, including his personal physicians, particularly regarding a reported loss of vision in his right eye; that his family be permitted weekly visits as ordered by the court, without administrative delays; and that any recommended treatment be administered promptly.
"Imran Khan is 73 years old and has now spent more than three years in custody," the letter stated, initiated by former Australian captain Greg Chappell. "Whatever the legal and political arguments surrounding his case, the basic decency of ensuring a court-ordered medical process is actually completed is not, in our view, a controversial request."
Signatories include notable former captains such as England's Michael Atherton, Michael Brearley, Nasser Hussain, Andrew Strauss, and David Gower; India's Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar; and Australians Belinda Clark, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh, and Kim Hughes. This follows a previous appeal in February by 14 of the same captains for "humane treatment and proper medical care" for Khan.
Khan's lawyer has previously claimed that his client has only 15% vision remaining in his right eye due to alleged inaction by prison authorities. The signatories described their shared bond as "former colleagues and rivals who share a bond forged on the cricket field," emphasizing that this connection "transcends the borders and disputes that too often divide countries."
Khan, who led Pakistan's national cricket team before entering politics, served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. He faces over 100 cases, including charges related to leaking state secrets and selling state gifts. His imprisonment has led to significant protests by his supporters, which authorities have met with a crackdown.
Pakistan's Supreme Court had recently directed the government to transfer Khan to a private hospital for examination. However, he was seen by doctors at a government-run hospital in Islamabad, who declared him "medically fit" before he was returned to prison.