MUMBAI: As many as 21 former worldwide captains from 9 cricketing nations, together with India’s Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, have written to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, renewing their attraction for the medical therapy and welfare of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan, following developments this week that they are saying fall in need of a directive of the Supreme Court docket of the nation.The letter — a follow-up to 1 despatched in February by 14 former captains — was prompted by occasions surrounding a Supreme Court docket order that Khan be transferred to hospital for examination by a medical board together with his personal physicians and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan, alongside reinstated weekly household visits.The 73-year-old Imran is presently going through extreme well being points after having been in jail for greater than three years following his tenure as Pakistan PM.On Friday, Imran returned to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail shortly after present process a medical examination at Shifa Hospital in Islamabad.In February this yr, 14 legendary captains from 5 nations — together with Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Greg Chappell, a former head coach of Staff India — had made a fervent, emotional attraction to the Pakistan authorities about making certain correct therapy for Imran, amid mounting considerations in regards to the cricketing icon’s well being. Nonetheless, there was no response from the Pakistan authorities to the cricket legends’ request.Within the newest letter (a duplicate is with TOI), addressed to the Pakistan PM and titled “Attraction by 21 Former Worldwide Cricket Captains on the Medical Remedy and Welfare of Imran Khan,” Chappell & Co. have written, “Expensive Prime Minister, six months in the past, fourteen former worldwide cricket captains wrote to you and the Pakistani authorities interesting for humane therapy and correct medical take care of Imran Khan. We wrote then not as politicians, however as former colleagues and rivals who share a bond cast on the cricket subject — one which transcends the borders and disputes that too typically divide nations.“We write once more now — joined by seven additional former captains — due to what has reportedly simply occurred. Pakistan’s Supreme Court docket ordered that Imran Khan be transferred to hospital for examination by a medical board that was to incorporate his personal private physicians and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan. The Court docket additionally reinstated weekly household visits. These have been very welcome steps.Concerningly, Mr Khan’s hospital keep lasted only some hours. He was examined by a state-appointed workforce moderately than the board the Court docket had directed, declared “medically match,” and returned to Adiala Jail earlier than that board may full its work. His household and authorized workforce say this falls in need of what the court docket ordered.The signatories, who describe themselves as writing “not as politicians, however as former colleagues and rivals who share a bond cast on the cricket subject,” are cautious to notice they don’t search to adjudicate Pakistan’s home authorized processes. Their letter makes three particular requests: that the Court docket-directed medical board be permitted to finish its unbiased evaluation; that weekly household visits proceed with out interruption; and that any therapy the evaluation recommends be supplied immediately.“We’re not asking Pakistan for something uncommon — simply {that a} court docket order most nations would take without any consideration is definitely carried out,” stated Greg Chappell, who took this initiative.“We don’t presume to adjudicate Pakistan’s home authorized processes. That isn’t our place, and it was not the spirit during which we wrote in February. However we do ask, once more, respectfully: 1. That the medical board directed by the Supreme Court docket — together with Mr Khan’s personal medical doctors — be permitted to finish a full and unbiased evaluation of his well being, notably the reported lack of imaginative and prescient in his proper eye. 2. That the weekly household visits reinstated by the Court docket be honoured with out interruption or administrative delay. 3. That regardless of the final result of that medical evaluation, the therapy beneficial by or not it’s supplied immediately. Imran Khan is 73 years previous and has now spent greater than three years in custody. Regardless of the authorized and political arguments surrounding his case, the essential decency of making certain a court-ordered medical course of is definitely accomplished just isn’t, in our view, a controversial request. It’s one we consider each nation that performs this recreation would recognise as truthful. We hope this matter might be resolved expeditiously and with the dignity Mr Imran Khan deserves. Yours in cricket,”Additionally among the many signatories of the letter are Michael Atherton, Alex Blackwell, Allan Border, Michael Brearley, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alastair Prepare dinner, Lee Germon, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Steve Waugh and John Wright.
