Greg Chappell leads seven Australian captains in appeal to Foreign Secretary over Imran Khan ‘humanitarian’ concerns

Mumbai: Former Australia captain and India head coach Greg Chappell has stepped up his efforts to ensure fair medical treatment and welfare for Pakistan’s former prime minister and 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.In Chappell’s latest initiative, seven former Australian captains have approached Foreign Minister Penny Wong over humanitarian concerns surrounding Imran’s detention in Pakistan. They urged the Australian government to take up the matter directly with the relevant Pakistani authorities.The letter, a copy of which is with TOI, was signed by Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Kim Hughes, Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh. They emphasized that they were writing “not as diplomats or political actors, but as former Australian captains who feel we should speak out”.The group said it took no position on the legal or political case against Imran, which it described as a matter for Pakistan. They said they were concerned about the treatment of anyone in custody, calling it “a matter of basic humanity, regardless of their politics.”The former captains highlighted concerns publicly expressed by Imran’s sons and sisters about his health and treatment, including limited medical care, limited contact with family and minimal access to legal advice.The letter also referred to Chappell’s last meeting with Imran in Islamabad in 2022, when he was Pakistan’s prime minister and Chappell said he was “healthy, cordial and fit”.“Greg Chappell last saw Imran Khan in Islamabad in 2022, when Khan was Prime Minister – healthy, hearty and fit, according to him. It is difficult to reconcile that image with the news now coming out of his detention, which is why we are writing to you today, not as diplomats or political actors, but as a former Australian Prime Minister who only led his country as Prime Minister at the World Cup. Khan also led his country as Prime Minister at the World Cup.” Australians hold him in high esteem – as a cricketer whose skill and leadership left a lasting mark on the game we share, and as someone who helped improve the lives of Pakistanis by building cancer hospitals.”“Apart from credible reports, his own sons and sisters have publicly pleaded for his health and treatment in custody for months – their concerns include limited medical care, limited family contact and minimal access to legal advice.”The letter said: “This is not the first time international captains have raised this concern. It has been raised publicly on two separate occasions in the past six months and reports since then – now echoed by his own family – suggest the situation has not improved. We would be grateful if the Australian Government could raise this directly with the relevant Pakistani authorities. Mr Chappell has also asked to meet with you directly on this matter and would welcome your recent weeks when you took up the matter. Time to consider it.”The call comes weeks after 21 former international captains from nine cricket-playing nations, including India’s Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, wrote to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 23 regarding Imran’s medical treatment and welfare.The letter, following on from a letter signed by 14 former captains in February, followed the development which the group said did not comply with the Supreme Court’s directive on Imran’s treatment. The court ordered that Khan be taken to hospital for examination by a medical board including his own doctor and his sister Dr Uzma Khan, along with weekly family visits resumed.Imran, 73, has been in prison for more than three years after serving as Pakistan’s prime minister and is currently facing serious health problems.Since the first letter, Imran’s former Pakistan teammates have come forward, including a tearful Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram and Moina Khan, as well as current Australia captain Pat Cummins.Chappell also requested a meeting with Wong last month to discuss the matter on behalf of the group, but has yet to receive a response.