Khan, 73, was convicted in a string of cases relating to various charges of corruption and revealing state secrets<\/a>. He has denied all the charges and has been acquitted in some cases.<\/p>\n Concerns have emerged over Khan\u2019s treatment in prison, with his lawyer telling Pakistan\u2019s Supreme Court last week that he had lost 85 percent of the vision in his right eye<\/a> because of delayed treatment while in custody.<\/p>\n Despite\u00a0tense political relations between India and Pakistan<\/a>, former India captains Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev are now among a group of distinguished former players who have signed a petition, released on Tuesday and verified by The Athletic, demanding better conditions for Khan.<\/p>\n The open letter, also signed by former England quartet Mike Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Mike Brearley and David Gower, writes of their \u201cdeep concern\u201d for Khan\u2019s well-being, including the \u201calarming deterioration of his vision while in custody\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cMany of us competed against him, shared the field with him, or grew up idolizing his all-round brilliance, charisma, and competitive spirit,\u201d the letter read.<\/p>\n \u201cHe remains one of the finest all-rounders and captains the sport has ever seen, earning respect from players, fans, and administrators alike.<\/p>\n \u201cBeyond cricket, Imran Khan served as Prime Minister of Pakistan, leading his nation during a challenging period. Regardless of political perspectives, he holds the honour of having been democratically elected to the highest office in his country.\u201d<\/p>\n The letter called for Khan to be allowed \u201cimmediate, adequate and ongoing\u201d medical attention from qualified specialists, to have \u201chumane and dignified conditions of detention\u201d, to be allowed \u201cregular visits by close family members\u201d and for his \u201cfair and transparent access to legal processes\u201d.<\/p>\n The former cricketers added: \u201cCricket has long been a bridge between nations. Our shared history on the field reminds us that rivalry ends when the stumps are drawn \u2014 and respect endures. Imran Khan embodied that spirit throughout his career.\u201d<\/p>\n Former Australia captain Greg Chappell and his brother Ian Chappell also signed the letter, alongside ex-Australia internationals Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Belinda Clark and Kim Hughes as well as\u00a0Clive Lloyd from the West Indies and John Wright from New Zealand.<\/p>\n The Athletic has approached the Pakistan government for comment.<\/p>\n Kasim Khan, Imran\u2019s son, said of his father\u2019s deteriorating eyesight<\/a>: \u201cThis is the direct consequence of 922 days of solitary confinement, medical neglect (denied blood tests) and the deliberate denial of proper treatment in jail.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cWe urge human rights bodies, legal institutions and democratic nations to confront this persecution and ensure those responsible face consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n Khan\u2019s sister, Noreen Niazi, has said her brother is going through \u201cunimaginable mistreatment\u201d in prison. \u201cHis medical complaints were ignored unduly and unjustly for a long period of three months while he was kept in illegal solitary confinement,\u201d she wrote on social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n Khan celebrates after winning the 1992 World Cup for Pakistan (Joe Mann\/Allsport\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n In December, Khan and his wife were given sentences of 17 years after a court found them guilty of illegally retaining and selling state gifts.<\/p>\n![\"Khan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1044057120-scaled.jpg\")
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