The Media Line: Former Cricket Captains Urge Pakistan To Allow Medical Care for Imran Khan  

Former Cricket Captains Urge Pakistan To Allow Medical Care for Imran Khan  

By Arshad Mehmood/The Media Line  

Former Australian cricket captain Greg Chappell, along with 13 other international captains, has written a letter urging the government of Pakistan to allow imprisoned Imran Khan to receive medical treatment from doctors of his choice and to permit meetings with his family.  

The letter bears the signatures of Sir Clive Lloyd, Mike Atherton, Allan Border, Michael Brierley, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Sunil Gavaskar, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Kapil Dev, Steve Waugh and John Wright.  

In his article published Feb. 23 in the renowned global cricket news outlet ESPNcricinfo, Greg Chappell wrote that when he became aware of the concerns surrounding the imprisonment and health of former Pakistani prime minister and his old friend, he felt compelled to do something to help him.  

He stated: “To pierce the gathering gloom surrounding one of cricket’s greatest luminaries, I knew I had to assemble a chorus of voices, a collective of captains whose shared history could not be ignored amid the winds of political indifference.”  

Chappell also wrote: “I remember him as a man of immense charisma and an even greater will. He was a leader who did not merely command his team; he inspired a nation.”  

“Today, that vibrant, charismatic leader is confined to a space that reports suggest resembles a death row cell. Most distressing are the reports concerning his health,” he noted.  

Greg Chappell clarified that he is not sending a political message. “We urge the government of Pakistan to immediately provide Imran Khan with medical care from doctors of his choice, ensure humane conditions, including family visits, and grant him fair and transparent access to the legal process. These are not extremist demands; they are basic necessities of a civilized society.”  

In his concluding remarks, Chappell wrote that Khan deserves the fair play he always championed. “We hope that the principles of decency will prevail and that our collective voice will ensure he is not forgotten in the darkness of a solitary cell. The game deserves no less, and future generations who look up to our legacy demand that we stand for what is right.”  

Meanwhile, responding to the letter, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry emphasized that being a captain does not place anyone above the law.  

In a statement, he argued that “just as ball tampering and batting offenses are crimes in cricket, corruption is a crime if a captain becomes prime minister. They should have condemned that as well.” He further remarked, “They should have also expressed regret that he is currently convicted in a corruption case.”  

Chaudhry claimed that “even before the letter was written, concerns about Imran Khan’s health had been addressed.” Talal Chaudhry, calling him “the most looked-after prisoner in Pakistan’s history,” said the Supreme Court was satisfied with his treatment.  

On the demand to allow Khan’s treatment from doctors of his choice, Chaudhry said, “Everything is according to the law; prisoners don’t get to choose.”  

He added that the former captains should focus on human rights in their own countries rather than a prisoner convicted in a corruption case.  

The Pakistani government has repeatedly asserted that the former prime minister, diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion in his right eye, is receiving top-quality facilities in prison and timely medical care without any lapses. However, his family and party have consistently dismissed these claims, voicing serious concerns over his health.  

Khan, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister, is a cricket legend turned politician who famously led Pakistan’s team to victory in the 1992 World Cup, securing the championship trophy.  

He was ousted from power in 2021 through a no-confidence vote and is currently in prison on corruption charges, which he has consistently denied, calling them politically motivated. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, emerged as the largest party in the 2024 general elections but was not permitted to form the government.  

Click here to see The Media Line’s exclusive interview with Imran Khan from August, 2023.