Twenty-one former international cricket captains have once again written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, seeking proper medical treatment and welfare for former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan. There are three former Indian Cricket Team captains among the signatories.
The former cricketers had first written to the Pakistan government in February this year. The latest letter comes after concerns that the recent medical process involving Imran Khan did not fully follow the directions of Pakistan's Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had ordered that Khan be taken to hospital and examined by a medical board that included his own doctors. It had also restored weekly family visits.
However, according to the letter, Khan stayed in hospital for only a few hours and was examined by a different with state-appointed team before being sent back to Adiala Jail.
Three Demands for Imran Khan
The former captains have made three main requests:
1. Full medical check-up: They want the medical board ordered by the Supreme Court, including Khan's own doctors, to complete an independent assessment of his health, especially his reported loss of vision in his right eye.
2. Weekly family visits: They want the weekly family visits ordered by the Supreme Court to take place without any interruption or delay.
3. Treatment without delay: They want any treatment recommended by the medical board to be provided immediately.
The captains said they were making the appeal as former colleagues and rivals who share a bond through cricket. They also said that ensuring a proper medical process for a 73-year-old former international captain is a fair and reasonable request.
Three Indian Cricket Legends Among Signatories
Three former India captains, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar are among the 21 signatories.
Other well-known names include Michael Atherton, Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Sir Alastair Cook, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Nasser Hussain, Sir Clive Lloyd, Stephen Waugh and John Wright.
Imran Khan, who led Pakistan to their first and only ODI World Cup title in 1992, has been in custody since 2023. Concerns over his health, particularly his reported vision problems, have led to repeated calls for proper medical care.
