Former cricket captains press Pakistan on Imran Khan care
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
A group of 21 former international cricket captains has appealed to Pakistan’s government to ensure jailed former prime minister Imran Khan receives proper medical care while in custody.
The letter, sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and initiated by former Australia captain Greg Chappell, followed Khan’s transfer back to jail on Friday just hours after he was taken to Islamabad’s private Shifa International Hospital for court-ordered medical checks.
The former captains asked that a Supreme Court-directed medical board be allowed to complete an independent assessment, that weekly family visits be restored without interruption, and that any recommended treatment be provided promptly.
Khan, 73, has been in prison since 2023 and denies the corruption charges on which he and his wife were sentenced to 17 years late last year.
Key Points
- The appeal was signed by 21 former captains, including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sir Alastair Cook, Michael Atherton, and Allan Border.
- Khan was returned to jail on Friday after spending only a few hours at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for court-ordered checks.
- The first request was for a full Supreme Court-directed medical assessment, including Khan’s personal doctors and concerns over vision loss in his right eye.
- The letter also asked authorities to honour weekly family visits ordered by the court without interruptions or administrative delays.
- Khan was removed as prime minister in 2022, later jailed in 2023, and says the corruption cases against him are politically motivated.
Why It Matters
The intervention by prominent cricket figures from India, England, Australia, the West Indies and New Zealand turns Khan’s prison healthcare into an international reputational issue for Pakistan.
For Hong Kong readers, the case shows how a former sports icon’s treatment in custody can quickly become a cross-border political story when courts, opposition parties and global public figures all become involved.