New Delhi: Australia captain and fast bowler Pat Cummins on Friday extended his support for jailed Pakistan former Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying ‘anyone deserves dignity’. With this, he became the first active international cricket captain to publicly support the humanitarian campaign for his proper medical care, family access, and dignified treatment in prison.
The development comes amid growing international anxiety over the health and confinement conditions of the 73-year-old cricketing legend. He was imprisoned in August 2023 on corruption charges.
“Adding my support here to GC and the other former international captains. I hope the court ordered medical assessment be allowed to run its course, and that family visits continue. I hope Imran Khan is treated with the dignity anyone deserves,” Cummins posted on X. He had also shared footage of former India coach Greg Chappell, who spoke out on Khan’s deteriorating physical state.
In the video, Chappell said that Khan is ‘struggling after being in isolation for three years’.
At least 21 former international cricketers, including Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, and Dilip Vengsarkar, have signed an appeal, raising concerns over Khan’s health. The appeal was triggered by the Pakistani government’s alleged failure to fully comply with a Supreme Court order regarding Khan’s medical care.
‘He’s held in the highest regard’
Last week, after a Supreme Court order, Khan was taken to Islamabad for a medical check-up. Pakistani authorities transported him from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). However, the country’s top court ordered Khan to be admitted to the private Shifa International Hospital.
When Khan’s medical care was bypassed, the global coalition of former international cricket captains signed the appeal addressed to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This was the second letter. The Pakistan government ignored the first letter, which was sent by 14 captains six months earlier.
The cricketing legends stated that they do not intend to interfere with Pakistan’s domestic legal or political framework. Instead, they united strictly as former colleagues and rivals to advocate for standard humanitarian considerations.
“This is a humanitarian appeal, because there are increasing concerns about the health and well-being of Imran Khan.
The former players who signed the letter, many of them played against Imran. He’s held in the highest regard as a former player, one of the greatest players that Pakistan have produced. And as his son said there, there’s an increasing sense of urgency around his health, and we want to make sure he gets the proper and requisite medical care,” former England captain Mike Atherton said after the letter was signed.
Also read: PCB’s failed attempt to block Imran Khan’s sons interview at Lord’s. Off-field drama at Lord’s
‘They are trying to kill him’
On Thursday, Khan’s sons Sulaiman Khan (29) and Kasim Khan (27) broke their silence, voicing grave fears for their father’s life.
Speaking to Atherton, who is now a commentator at Sky Sports, the brothers claimed that Khan is confined in a small cell for 23 hours and is denied basic comforts and books.
“They are not even acting with any kind of strategy any more. It is not very clear what they are doing, just blatantly trying to kill him in there. Keep him in as long as possible, and silence him. The last time he was able to speak to our aunties and anyone else, he said the conditions have severely worsened recently. He has been relating it to other political prisoners who have been killed or who have died in prison,” Kasim had said.
Meanwhile, Sulaiman said that they were cautiously optimistic.
“Our fears were confirmed when, instead of being taken to the private hospital, where he was meant to be taken, he was just taken to a government medical facility for a few hours, and then taken straight back to jail,” he added.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a formal complaint against Sky Sports for airing the interview. Additionally, the Pakistan government has rejected all the allegations.