Former cricket captains appeal to Pakistan over jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s healthcare

A coalition of 21 former cricket captains, among them Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, have penned a letter to Pakistan's government expressing concerns over the healthcare of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated. Khan, a 73-year-old former captain of Pakistan, was sentenced to 17 years in prison in December 2023 on corruption charges he and his wife vehemently deny.

Hours after his transfer to a hospital for medical checks, Khan was returned to prison on Friday. The Supreme Court had ordered Khan to be admitted to the private Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, following a petition filed by his legal team regarding his health issues.

The letter, sent by the cricket captains, began with their demands in February about Khan's medical care, and they have now issued three new requests. The first request is for the medical board appointed by the Supreme Court to conduct a thorough and impartial examination of Khan's health, paying special attention to the report of vision loss in his right eye.

The second request is to ensure that the weekly visits by Khan's family, as ordered by the court, are granted without delay or administrative hindrance. Lastly, they urge that any recommended treatment following the medical assessment be administered without further delay.

Other signatories to the letter include cricket captains from various countries such as Dilip Vengsarkar and Michael Atherton from India, Michael Brearley, Nasser Hussain, Andrew Strauss, David Gower, Allan Border, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh, and Kim Hughes from England and Australia, Clive Lloyd from West Indies, and John Wright from New Zealand.

Khan, who served as prime minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022, has been embroiled in multiple corruption and other legal cases since his removal from office in a no-confidence vote amid a political dispute with the military. His arrest in May 2023 triggered widespread protests, some of which turned violent, resulting in numerous arrests.