Ex-cricket captains urge 'proper medical care' for Imran Khan

A coalition of former cricket captains, comprising luminaries such as Sunil Gavaskar of India and Sir Alastair Cook of England, has implored Pakistan to guarantee comprehensive medical attention for their former prime minister, Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated. Khan, 73, has been imprisoned since 2023 on corruption charges, which he vehemently denies.

In a letter addressed to Pakistan's current leader, Shehbaz Sharif, the 21 former cricket captains expressed apprehension regarding the limited medical care Khan received during his recent hospital visit. Khan's political party has also lodged a contempt petition against the government for denying the ex-PM access to his own physicians, as mandated by the apex court.

The cricket captains have outlined three key demands in their letter: first, that Khan undergoes a medical evaluation by an independent board led by the Supreme Court, which should encompass his trusted personal physicians; second, the authorities must permit weekly family visits without hindrance or delays; and finally, any recommended treatment should be promptly implemented.

Initiated by Greg Chappell, a former Australian captain, the letter underscores that ensuring a court-mandated medical process is a basic and non-controversial requirement. Other signatories include Michael Atherton, Michael Brearley, Nasser Hussain, Andrew Strauss, David Gower, Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Kim Hughes from England, India, and Australia respectively, along with prominent figures like Belinda Clark, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh, and Steve Waugh.

These former cricket stars, who were once teammates and adversaries, emphasize their shared camaraderie beyond the cricket field. This bond transcends the geopolitical tensions that often divide nations. Khan, a former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, served as the nation's prime minister from 2018 to 2022. He was apprehended in August 2023 and faces charges in over 100 cases, all of which he and his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, claim are politically motivated.

Khan's imprisonment has sparked widespread protests by his supporters, which were subsequently quashed by authorities. Despite being deemed medically fit by doctors at a government-run hospital in Islamabad, Khan was subsequently returned to prison.