Summary
- Seven former Australian cricket captains have written to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, expressing concern over the continued imprisonment and treatment of former Pakistan prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.
- The latest appeal follows a similar initiative last month, when 22 international cricketers wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking medical treatment for Imran in accordance with Supreme Court directives.
- Earlier this year, former Indian cricket greats Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev also joined several former international captains in calling for better treatment of Imran in prison.
Seven former Australian cricket captains have written to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, expressing concern over the continued imprisonment and treatment of former Pakistan prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.
According to reports, the former captains said they were speaking out not as politicians or diplomats but as former leaders of the cricketing world who felt compelled to raise concerns about the treatment of a detained individual.
The signatories include cricket legends Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Kim Hughes, Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh.
The former captains clarified that they were not taking a position on the legal or political proceedings against Imran Khan, saying those matters were for Pakistan to deal with. Their concern, they said, was focused on the treatment and welfare of a person in detention, describing it as an issue of “basic humanity”.
Imran Khan, 73, has been in prison since 2023. He and his wife were sentenced to 17 years in prison in a corruption case late last year, charges they have denied.
A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia regularly raises Imran Khan’s case in discussions with Pakistani authorities. The spokesperson also said Australia continues to encourage the authorities to ensure that Imran receives appropriate medical care.
The latest appeal follows a similar initiative last month, when 22 international cricketers wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking medical treatment for Imran in accordance with Supreme Court directives.
On August 18, the Supreme Court ordered that Imran be shifted to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within two days for medical examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board. However, he was later taken to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences instead.
Earlier this year, former Indian cricket greats Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev also joined several former international captains in calling for better treatment of Imran in prison. The cricketers described him as one of the game’s finest all-rounders.
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