21 Cricket Legends Urge Pakistan to Provide Proper Medical Care to Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD, Aug 24: Twenty-one former international cricket captains, including Indian cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, have appealed to the Pakistan government again to ensure proper medical care for jailed former prime minister and former Pakistan cricket captain Imran Khan.

Khan, 73, has been in jail since 2023 and was sentenced late last year, along with his wife, to 17 years in prison in a corruption case. Both have denied the charges.

The former prime minister was transferred back to jail on Friday, just hours after being taken to hospital for court-ordered medical examinations.

Earlier this week, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that Khan be taken to the private Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for treatment after his lawyers raised concerns about his health.

In a letter to the Pakistani government, the former cricket captains made three requests regarding Khan’s medical care. The appeal followed an earlier letter sent in February expressing concern over his treatment.

They called for the medical board appointed by the Supreme Court to be allowed to complete a full and independent assessment of Khan’s health, particularly reports that he has suffered a loss of vision in his right eye. They also urged authorities to honour weekly visits by Khan’s family, as ordered by the court, without interruption or administrative delays, and called for any treatment recommended following the medical assessment to be provided without delay.

The signatories include former captains from India, England, Australia, the West Indies and New Zealand. Among them are Dilip Vengsarkar, Michael Atherton, Michael Brearley, Nasser Hussain, Andrew Strauss, David Gower, Allan Border, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh, Kim Hughes, Clive Lloyd and John Wright.

Khan served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 until 2022, when his government was removed through a no-confidence vote amid a political crisis and growing tensions with the country’s powerful military establishment.

Since his removal from office, Khan has faced multiple legal cases involving corruption and other charges. He and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have maintained that the cases are politically motivated.

His arrest in May 2023 triggered nationwide protests, some of which turned violent and resulted in hundreds of arrests.