Fourteen former international cricket captains have appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to improve prison treatment and medical care for Imran Khan, citing a worrying loss of vision in his right eye. The captains urged that Khan be allowed ongoing treatment by specialists of his choosing. Government officials say Khan is receiving better prison facilities and some doctors report improvement, while his lawyer and family describe more serious damage. Supporters ended a sit-in after doctors reported recovery in his right eye, but access by his personal doctors and family remains contested.
Fourteen Former International Captains Urge Pakistan To Improve Imran Khan’s Prison Medical Care
FILE - Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan gives a press conference at his home, in Lahore, Pakistan, on May 18, 2023. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
ISLAMABAD — Fourteen former international cricket captains have written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urging Pakistan to ensure improved prison treatment and medical care for former prime minister and cricketer Imran Khan, amid growing concern about a sharp decline in the vision of his right eye.
In the letter, signatories including India greats Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, and other prominent figures such as Ian Chappell, Clive Lloyd and Allan Border, called on authorities to treat Khan with 'dignity and basic human consideration' and to allow immediate access to specialist care of his choosing.
'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 cricketers wrote.
Officials in Islamabad offered no immediate public reply to the letter. Government sources have said Khan is receiving improved facilities in prison, a position echoed by Khan's lawyer, Salman Safdar, who recently visited him. Safdar has said Khan lost roughly 85% of vision in his right eye, while some government-cited doctors reported a significant recovery.
Supporters and lawmakers from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party staged a multi-day sit-in outside parliament demanding he be transferred to a hospital; the sit-in ended after doctors reported meaningful improvement in his right eye and no issues with his left eye. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi dismissed some health claims as 'propaganda.' Khan's family and personal physician say they need direct access to verify his condition.
Background
Khan, 73, who captained Pakistan to the 1992 Cricket World Cup, served as prime minister from 2018 until his removal in 2022. He has been detained since 2023 following convictions on graft and other charges. Khan maintains that the prosecutions are politically motivated and has alleged, without corroboration from U.S. or Pakistani authorities, that his ouster involved foreign and domestic interference — claims denied by Washington, Pakistan's military and Prime Minister Sharif.
The group of former captains also urged Pakistan to permit 'immediate, adequate and ongoing medical attention from qualified specialists of his choosing.' Several former Pakistani players, including Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar, have publicly expressed concern, and former India batter Ajay Jadeja encouraged Pakistani players to speak out.
Despite imprisonment and ongoing legal battles, Imran Khan remains a central and influential figure in Pakistan's political landscape.
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