Former West Indies batting great Brian Lara has expressed support for former Pakistan captain and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, calling for him to receive “proper, independent medical care” and be treated with the dignity he deserves.
In a post on his official Instagram account, Lara said he had faced Imran on the cricket field only a handful of times, but the respect he developed for the former Pakistan captain was “instant and lasting.”
Lara said he found it difficult to understand how someone who had once been a symbol of hope, pride and inspiration for Pakistan during his sporting career could now be in a situation where he was allegedly not receiving the compassion and dignity he deserved.
“I stand with my fellow former captains in asking that he receive proper, independent medical care and the dignity every human being deserves,” Lara said.
Emphasising that his appeal was not politically motivated, the former West Indies captain added: “This isn’t politics. It’s basic humanity for a legend of our game.”
Lara’s statement comes weeks after 21 former international cricket captains renewed their appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure that Imran Khan receives medical treatment in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directives, according to ESPNcricinfo.
On August 18, a three-member Supreme Court bench ordered Adiala jail authorities to transfer the 73-year-old PTI founder to Shifa Hospital within two days for medical assessment and treatment.
However, Khan was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), where doctors from Shifa International Hospital were also present, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. He said Khan’s medical examination was conducted in the presence of his sister and personal doctors.
Tarar said a team of qualified specialists, including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician, carried out a detailed examination and declared Khan “medically fit.”
Following the government’s decision, PTI filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court, alleging that its order regarding the former prime minister’s transfer to hospital had not been followed.
Khan, a former cricketer who later entered politics, has remained in jail since August 2023 after being convicted in several cases. He has maintained that the cases against him are politically motivated.
