‘This isn’t politics’: Brian Lara calls for dignified medical care for Imran Khan

Brian Lara says the issue is not politics but basic humanity. The West Indies batting great has joined former international cricketers calling for proper, independent medical care for imprisoned former Pakistan captain Imran Khan.

In an Instagram post, Lara said he and Khan had crossed paths on the field only a handful of times, but that his respect for Khan was “instant and lasting”. He said he struggled to understand how someone who had once been a beacon of hope, pride and inspiration for Pakistan could now be in a situation where he was not receiving the compassion and dignity he deserved.

“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,” Lara said. He added that he stood with fellow former captains in asking for proper medical care and the dignity owed to every human being.

“This isn’t politics. It’s basic humanity for a legend of our game,” Lara said. His comments followed an appeal last month by 22 former international cricketers, including 21 former captains, to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. They asked the government to ensure that Khan received medical treatment in line with recent Supreme Court directives.

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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.

Khan led Pakistan to its only men's 50-over World Cup title in 1992 and became prime minister in 2018. Parliament removed him through a no-confidence vote in April 2022. He has been imprisoned since August 2023 and has faced convictions in several cases.

A three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed issued an interim order last month directing authorities to move Khan, 73, from Adiala Jail to Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital within two days. The order called for examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary board that would include specialists such as an ophthalmologist and cardiologist. It also said Khan's personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan, should remain involved in his care.

The court further ordered authorities to facilitate regular family contact. Reports on the order said Khan would be allowed weekly family meetings and telephone conversations with his sons.

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This isn’t politics. It’s basic humanity for a legend of our game.