Pakistan great Wasim Akram has joined a growing list of cricket figures calling for better treatment of former captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan. Akram described Imran as a friend and mentor and said there should be no compromise over his health. “He is my friend, and I miss him very much. I haven’t spoken to him for the past three years,” Akram said.
“What is happening to him for political reasons is extremely unfortunate. The court matters are in their hands. But there can be no compromise when it comes to his health.” Concern over Imran’s health has grown in recent weeks. A group of 22 former international captains recently sent an open letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. They called for Imran to be treated with basic dignity and given access to his personal doctor and family members.
Australia captain Pat Cummins was among the first current players to support the appeal. West Indies legend Brian Lara also backed the call and described Imran as a legend of the game who deserves basic human treatment. There have also been calls for action from former Pakistan players. Javed Miandad urged the authorities to release Imran and resolve their differences with the former prime minister. Moin Khan and Ramiz Raja later expressed similar views.
Akram said he also misses the time he spent with Imran after his retirement from international cricket. “We remained in regular contact even after I retired. I used to visit him and spend time with him. I really miss those moments when we would talk,” he said. “Putting politics aside, I miss him very much as a friend too.”
The issue gained further attention during the recent England-Pakistan series after Imran’s sons, Qasim Khan and Sulaiman Khan, gave interviews to English media outlets. The interviews created a debate in Pakistan, with the Pakistan Cricket Board even threatening to boycott the series over their broadcast. The threat, however, was not followed through.
Akram said it was difficult to know what information to believe about Imran’s current situation. “I later read that the Pakistan government had published a list detailing how many times Imran had been visited and how many times he had received phone calls. But, as you know, it is difficult to believe these things,” he said.
Akram said he was not concerned about Imran’s political future but wanted his health to be protected. “Whether he is found guilty or not, whether he is in prison or outside, his health needs to be protected,” he said. “We don’t know what is actually happening. The government claims that he has no physical problems. But I am worried because I miss him very much.”
