Former cricket captains appeal to Pakistan over Khan health care

A coalition of 21 former cricket captains, among them Sunil Gavaskar from India and Kapil Dev, has penned a letter to Pakistan's government on Sunday, raising concerns over the healthcare of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khan, who is currently incarcerated, has been serving a 17-year sentence for corruption charges he and his wife deny.

The 73-year-old, who was also a former Pakistan cricket captain, was recently transferred back to jail after a hospital visit for medical checks mandated by the court. The Supreme Court ordered Khan's transfer to the private Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for treatment following his lawyers' petition about his health issues.

The cricket captains, in their statement, requested three things: first, allowing the medical board appointed by the Supreme Court to conduct a thorough and independent examination of Khan's health, especially his reported loss of vision in his right eye; secondly, upholding the weekly visits by Khan's family as ordered by the court; and lastly, ensuring that any treatment recommended after the medical assessment is administered promptly.

Other signatories to the letter include cricket legends from England, Australia, New Zealand, and other nations. Khan served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022 before being ousted in a no-confidence vote amid a political dispute involving tensions between his administration and the powerful military. Since then, Khan has faced numerous legal cases, primarily corruption-related, and his arrest sparked nationwide protests in May 2023, some of which became violent, resulting in hundreds of arrests.