ISLAMABAD: Twenty-one former Test and international cricket captains have written another letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging the government to ensure a full medical examination and proper treatment for former Pakistan captain and ex-prime minister Imran Khan.
According to cricket website ESPNcricinfo, the former captains expressed concern over Imran Khan’s recent medical examination and called for the implementation of directions issued by Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
Former Captains Raise Concerns Over Imran Khan’s Medical Care
The former cricket leaders said the Supreme Court had directed authorities to move Imran Khan to a hospital for a medical examination.
They said the court had also ordered that a medical board should examine him. The board was to include his personal doctors and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan.
The court had also directed authorities to restore weekly family meetings with the former prime minister, according to the letter.
However, the former captains expressed concern that Imran Khan remained in hospital for only a few hours. They also said a government-appointed medical team examined him instead of the medical board mentioned in the court’s directions.
The team reportedly declared him medically fit and returned him to Adiala Jail.
Three Demands for Imran Khan
The former captains made three main demands in their letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
First, they called for an independent and comprehensive medical examination of Imran Khan in line with the Supreme Court’s directions. They specifically referred to reported concerns about reduced vision in his right eye.
Second, they called for uninterrupted weekly family meetings with Imran Khan.
Third, they demanded immediate medical treatment based on the findings and recommendations of the medical examination.
Former Rivals and Teammates Sign Letter
The letter carries the signatures of several prominent former cricket captains from around the world.
The signatories include Michael Atherton, Alex Blackwell, Allan Border, Mike Brearley, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alec Stewart, Michael Gatting, Sunil Gavaskar, Le Germain, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Kapil Dev, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Dilip Vengsarkar, Steve Waugh and John Wright.
The former captains said they were making the appeal as Imran Khan’s former cricket colleagues and opponents, rather than as politicians.
More Read
They also stressed that they did not intend to interfere in Pakistan’s internal legal or political affairs.
Second Letter in Six Months
This is the second letter from former international cricket captains to the Pakistani prime minister within six months.
In February, 14 former captains had also raised concerns about Imran Khan’s health. They had specifically referred to reports about problems affecting the vision in one of his eyes.
The latest appeal again focuses on medical access, family contact and treatment for the former Pakistan captain.
