Cricket Legends Renew Appeal for Imran Khan's Medical Care

Twenty-one former international cricket captains, including Indian greats Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, and Dilip Vengsarkar, have written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urging his government to ensure 'humane treatment and proper medical care' for former Pakistan captain and prime minister Imran Khan. The appeal, issued on August 23, marks the second such letter from former international captains in six months, following a February initiative by 14 captains. The latest letter was initiated by former Australian captain Greg Chappell and was reported by ESPN Cricinfo on Sunday.

The cricketers said they were writing 'not as politicians, but as former colleagues and rivals who share a bond forged on the cricket field — one that transcends the borders and disputes that too often divide countries.' Their concern follows the Supreme Court's August 18 order directing the government to move Khan to Islamabad's private Shifa International Hospital for examination by a multidisciplinary medical board. Instead, Khan was taken to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), where he could not undergo a recommended computed tomography angiography due to unavailable facilities. His hospital stay lasted only a few hours; he was examined by a state-appointed team, declared 'medically fit', and returned to Adiala Jail before the court-directed board could complete its work, according to the letter.

Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023 on charges he denies, with his family and legal team saying the examination fell short of what the Supreme Court ordered. The captains made three demands: that the court-ordered medical board, including Khan's own doctors, complete a full independent assessment of his health, particularly the reported loss of vision in his right eye; that weekly family visits be honored without interruption; and that any recommended treatment be provided without delay.

Signatories and Previous Appeals

The letter's signatories include, Michael Atherton, Allan Border, Michael Brearley, Greg and Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alastair Cook, Michael Gatting, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Kapil Dev, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Steve Waugh, and John Wright, among others. Notably, no former Pakistani captains signed the letter, a fact highlighted by Al Jazeera.

Several of these cricketers had earlier appealed in February for Khan's humane treatment after his family said he lost about 85% of vision in his right eye, a claim the government disputed. Authorities later said his condition was improving. In the latest letter, the captains expressed concern that Khan's brief hospital stay and the lack of access to his own doctors, as ordered by the court, indicated a fall short of the directive.

Legal and Political Backdrop

Imran Khan, a 1992 World Cup-winning captain and prime minister from 2018 to 2022, has been in jail since August 2023. He has faced charges in more than 100 cases, which he and his party, PTI, say are politically motivated. In late 2023, his sentence was overturned, but he remains in prison. His party has filed a contempt petition against the government for not allowing private hospital examination and access to own physicians.

The government rejected allegations that Khan was not legally permitted to be taken to the private hospital, saying he was examined by a state hospital after security Reasons. The government also dismissed claims of 'cruelty, mental torture, and medical neglect', stating that Khan is a 'convicted prisoner' serving court sentences. The Ministry of Information responded that Khan has the bond of visits from family and lawyers, weekly meetings with his wife, and phone contact.

Perspectives

Cricketing Captains' Perspective: The captains, including Greg Chappell, argue that ensuring court-ordered medical completion is 'basic decency', and they are not adjudicating Pakistan's legal processes but asking for proper care.

Government of Pakistan's Perspective: The government rejected allegations of affecting court order, saying Khan was examined by doctors, could not be taken to Shifa for security reasons, and that supporters gathering near hospital violated the order. It also highlighted that Khan is not under government order but as a 'convicted prisoner', and cited passes of visits and family connections.