Former cricket greats appeal to Pakistan for better treatment of Imran Khan

A letter co-signed by Indian, Australian, English and West Indian players has been submitted to Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif 

Over a dozen retired cricket players have appealed to Islamabad to treat imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in a more “humane” manner amid reports that his health is deteriorating.

Khan, who has been in prison since August 2023, played cricket for Pakistan from 1971 to 1992 and is widely regarded as one of the game’s all-time greats.

“Recent reports concerning his health – particularly the alarming deterioration of his vision while in custody – and the conditions of his imprisonment over the past two and a half years, have caused us profound concern,” the letter signed by retired cricketers from India, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies said.

Pakistani authorities have denied his family members and doctors permission to meet him recently, his sister Naureen Niazi told RT in an interview on Monday. 

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered a medical team to examine Khan and allowed phone contact with his sons after a court-appointed lawyer’s report.

Khan has been left with just 15% vision in his right eye after authorities allegedly ignored his complaints for months, according to a report his lawyer, Salman Safdar, submitted to the court.

The petition, which was drafted by former Australian captain Greg Chappell and signed by former Indian captains Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, was delivered to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday afternoon, according to The Age, a Melbourne-based news outlet.

“As fellow cricketers who understand the values of fair play, honor, and respect that transcend the boundary rope, we believe that a person of Imran Khan’s stature deserves to be treated with the dignity and basic human consideration befitting a former national leader and a global sporting icon,” the cricketers wrote.

They have asked for qualified doctors of Khan’s choosing to attend to him. They also requested “Humane and dignified conditions in line with international standards, including regular visits by close family members.”