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pti-PTI
Legendary West Indies batter Brian Lara on Saturday joined former cricketers in seeking proper medical treatment for jailed former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying it is basic humanity to treat someone with compassion and dignity.
Brian Lara joined fellow cricketers appealing for proper medical care and dignity for Imran Khan, the jailed former Pakistan captain, citing humanitarian grounds for the 73-year-old, detained since 2023.
The 73-year-old Imran has been lodged at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since 2023 after being convicted in corruption cases.
His continued detention and reported health concerns have triggered criticism from his family and several former international cricketers. “Imran Khan and I only crossed paths on the field a handful of times, but the respect I have for him was instant and lasting,” Lara wrote in a post shared on X.
“I am struggling to understand how someone who was once a beacon of hope, pride and inspiration for his country, at the height of his sporting career, could now find himself in a situation where he is not being cared for and treated with the compassion and dignity he deserves. “I stand with my fellow former captains in asking that he receive proper, independent medical care and the dignity every human being deserves. This isn’t politics. It’s basic humanity for a legend of our game.”
Lara played against Imran in four international matches during the West Indies’ tour of Pakistan in late 1990.
Several former cricketers, including India’s Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev and Australia’s Greg Chappell, have also called for Imran to receive proper medical treatment, while Australia captain Pat Cummins has publicly urged that the former Pakistan skipper be treated with dignity.
The issue gained wider attention recently after Imran’s sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, spoke to former England captain Michael Atherton during Sky Sports’ coverage of the second Test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s. The interview, aired during the lunch interval, featured the brothers raising concerns over their father’s health and safety. Lara’s appeal adds to mounting calls from figures in international cricket for the former Pakistan captain to receive appropriate medical care and humane treatment.
