Brian Lara calls for ‘proper, independent’ medical care for Imran Khan

Former West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara has expressed concern over the treatment of former Pakistan prime minister and cricket legend Imran Khan, calling for him to receive proper and independent medical care as well as the dignity he deserves.

Lara, in a message posted on his official Instagram account, said he had crossed paths with Khan only a handful of times on the cricket field but had developed an instant and lasting respect for him.

“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 said.

The former West Indies batter said he was struggling to understand how someone who had once been a “beacon of hope, pride and inspiration” for Pakistan at the height of his sporting career could now find himself in a situation where, in Lara’s view, he was not being cared for and treated with 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,” he said.

Lara said he stood alongside former cricket captains in calling for Khan to be provided with appropriate medical treatment.

“I stand with my fellow former captains in asking that he receive proper, independent medical care and the dignity every human being deserves,” he said.

The statement comes amid continuing concerns among Khan’s supporters over his health and access to medical treatment while he remains incarcerated.

Khan, who led Pakistan to its first and only Cricket World Cup triumph in 1992, later entered politics and served as the country’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022. He has remained in prison in connection with multiple legal cases since 2023, while his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has repeatedly called for his release.

Lara stressed that his appeal should not be viewed through a political lens, framing it instead as a humanitarian concern.

“This isn’t politics. It’s basic humanity for a legend of our game,” he said.

The message adds Lara’s voice to those from the international cricket fraternity who have expressed concern about Khan, one of the most celebrated all-rounders and captains in the history of the sport.

Last month, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the immediate transfer of Imran to Shifa International Hospital for a comprehensive medical examination and treatment.

The government later challenged the Supreme Court’s order, terming the order discriminatory.

However, the Supreme Court registrar’s office returned the review petition after raising procedural objections.

Later, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that PTI founder was found to be in good health following a medical examination conducted at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).