A group of 21 former international cricket captains, including Indian legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, have renewed their appeal to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for humane treatment and proper medical care for former Pakistan captain and prime minister Imran Khan.
The appeal, dated August 23, follows an earlier letter sent six months ago by 14 former captains. Seven additional former captains have now joined the initiative. The group said their appeal was motivated by their shared history with Khan as fellow cricketers and rivals, rather than by political considerations.
The former captains referred to a Pakistan Supreme Court order directing that Khan undergo examination by a medical board that would include his personal doctors and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan. The court had also restored weekly family visits.
However, they said Khan's hospital stay lasted only a few hours and that he was examined by a state-appointed medical team rather than the court-directed board before being declared medically fit and returned to Adiala Jail.
THREE DEMANDS FOR IMRAN KHAN
The former captains made three specific requests.
Independent medical examination: They want the Supreme Court-directed medical board, including Khan's own doctors, to complete a comprehensive assessment, particularly concerning reports of vision loss in his right eye.
Weekly family meetings: They called for the family visits restored by the court to take place without interruptions or administrative delays.
Immediate treatment: They urged authorities to provide any treatment recommended following the medical assessment without delay.
The group stressed that it was not attempting to interfere in Pakistan's political or legal affairs.
They argued instead that carrying out a court-ordered medical process was a basic matter of fairness and humanitarian treatment, particularly given that Khan is 73 and has spent more than three years in custody.
FORMER CAPTAINS FROM SIX CRICKET NATIONS
The signatories include prominent former captains from England, Australia, India, the West Indies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
England is represented by Michael Atherton, Michael Brearley, Alastair Cook, David Gower, Nasser Hussain and Andrew Strauss.
Australia's signatories include Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Kim Hughes and Stephen Waugh.
India's representatives are Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar. Former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, Sri Lanka's Arjuna Ranatunga and New Zealand's John Wright are also among those backing the appeal.
The group concluded by urging the authorities to resolve the matter quickly and ensure that Khan is treated with dignity.
The development adds to the international attention surrounding Khan's health and the implementation of the Pakistani Supreme Court's directions. A useful next step would be to compare the February appeal with this August letter to see exactly what has changed and which new captains have joined.
