Sawt Falasteen - Former cricket captains appeal to Pakistan over Khan health care

Khan has been in jail since 2023 and was sentenced late last year along with his wife to 17 years on corruption charges they both deny.

The 73-year-old, who was also a former Pakistan cricket captain, was transferred back to jail on Friday hours after he was taken to hospital for court-ordered medical checks.

The Supreme Court had ordered earlier in the week that Khan be taken to the private Shifa International Hospital in the capital Islamabad for treatment after his lawyers filed a petition over health concerns.

The cricket captains' statement, which followed an earlier letter in February about Khan's medical treatment, laid out three requests.

Firstly, they asked that the medical board directed by the Supreme Court "be permitted to complete a full and independent assessment" of Khan's health, "particularly the reported loss of vision in his right eye".

Secondly, they requested that the weekly visits by Khan's family reinstated by the court "be honoured without interruption or administrative delay".

Their final request was that the treatment mandated after the medical assessment "be provided without delay".

Signatories also included Dilip Vengsarkar (India), Michael Atherton, Michael Brearley, Nasser Hussain, Andrew Strauss and David Gower (England), Allan Border, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh and Kim Hughes (Australia), Clive Lloyd (West Indies) and John Wright (New Zealand).

Khan was prime minister from 2018 to 2022 before being removed in a no-confidence vote during a political crisis over tensions between his government and Pakistan's powerful military establishment.

He has since faced multiple legal cases on corruption and other charges.

Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, maintain that the cases against him are politically motivated.

His arrest triggered nationwide protests in May 2023, some of which turned violent and led to hundreds of arrests.

R.Halabi--SF-PST