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The letter initiated by former Australian captain Greg Chappell follows a Supreme Court directive last week that Khan be shifted to hospital for proper evaluation including his personal physicians, according to Reuters. It builds on an earlier appeal sent in February by 14 of the same former captains who expressed profound concern over the 73-year-old’s reported health decline during more than three years in custody. The latest statement stresses that the request centres on basic decency and fulfilment of a court order rather than the merits of the legal cases against him, ESPN Cricinfo reported. Signatories described their bond as one forged on the cricket field that transcends borders and political disputes.
Pakistan’s top court ruled on August 18 that Khan must be transferred within 48 hours to undergo assessment by a medical board that included his chosen doctor, Reuters reported. Al Jazeera said authorities instead took him to a government-run hospital in Islamabad where he was examined for several hours by a state-appointed team before being returned to Adiala prison the same day. The development prompted his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party to renew complaints that the process had not met the court requirements, with lawyers claiming he retains only 15 percent vision in his right eye after prison authorities delayed action on an earlier complaint.
Khan’s family and legal team have repeatedly highlighted deteriorating eyesight along with fluctuating blood pressure and anxiety linked to restricted family contact, The Guardian noted in coverage of the court proceedings. A report submitted to the jail superintendent and reviewed by the Supreme Court recorded these symptoms, according to local media accounts relayed by multiple outlets. The former prime minister has been held since August 2023 on an array of charges including corruption that he maintains are politically motivated, with his party alleging more than 100 cases filed against him in the period since his ouster through a no-confidence vote in 2022.
This week’s letter marks the second such intervention by former captains this year after the February appeal that similarly called for immediate and adequate medical attention from specialists of Khan’s choosing as well as humane detention conditions in line with international standards. The Tribune reported that the renewed appeal specifically references the inadequate nature of the recent hospital visit and demands weekly family visits as previously ordered by the court without further delays. It also insists that any recommended treatment must be provided promptly once the full assessment is complete.
Among those adding their names to the latest statement are Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar from India, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist and Kim Hughes from Australia, and Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain and Andrew Strauss from England along with West Indies’ Clive Lloyd, according to coverage by The Media Line and Cricinfo. Greg Chappell told outlets that he reached out to around 20 former captains and received swift support from most, including those who might face domestic pressure over commenting on Pakistani matters. The group has avoided taking positions on the underlying charges while focusing exclusively on the medical and humanitarian aspects of his detention.
Government officials have previously denied claims of mistreatment and maintained that Khan receives appropriate care within the prison system, Reuters reported in earlier coverage of the February letter. The latest statement from the captains makes no mention of releasing Khan but centres on implementation of existing court directives for his health evaluation and family access. Khan captained Pakistan to the 1992 Cricket World Cup victory before entering politics, founding the PTI and serving as prime minister from 2018 until his removal four years later.
