In brief
A coalition of fifty‑two former cricket captains, including Sunil Gavaskar and Sir Alastair Cook, has written to Pakistan’s leaders demanding proper medical assessment, timely treatment and uninterrupted family visits for the imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The letter cites a recent state‑allowed hospital visit that lasted only a few hours and criticises the lack of personal doctor access, as ordered by the Supreme Court. The captains argue that the 73‑year‑old detainee, who has been jailed for more than three years on corruption charges, is in dire need of specialised eye care and other medical services. They insist that enforcing the court's directives is a matter of basic decency transcending national rivalries.
Ex‑cricket captains call for proper care of Imran Khan
Sunil Gavaskar, Sir Alastair Cook and 19 other former international cricket captains signed a letter urging Pakistani officials to meet court‑mandated medical and visitation rights for the detainee Imran Khan.
The letter, launched by former Australian captain Greg Chappell, highlights three key demands: a comprehensive medical assessment by a Supreme Court‑directed board, weekly family visits free of administrative delays, and swift provision of any recommended treatment.
Khan, now 73, has been in custody since August 2023 on charges he denies and has lost vision in his right eye. His lawyers argue that government‑appointed doctors failed to address his medical conditions, a claim reinforced by a September court order directing a transfer to a private hospital.
The captains describe themselves as former colleagues and rivals who share a bond forged on the cricket field, asserting that this bond transcends the political discord that often divides nations.
Their appeal follows a prior February letter supporting humane treatment for Khan, highlighting a growing international concern over the political use of imprisonment and the neglect of due process and basic human rights within Pakistan’s judicial system.
