Cricket legend Wasim Akram has stepped into the intensifying debate over Imran Khan’s health, publicly appealing to authorities to make sure his former captain gets the medical care he needs while in custody. It’s the kind of appeal that carries real weight, coming from one of cricket’s all-time greats and a man who owes much of his legacy to Khan’s leadership.
Akram kept his message simple and human: get Khan the best possible medical care, take this seriously, and let him recover. His appeal comes at a moment when reports about Khan’s deteriorating health are getting harder to ignore. Legal and medical documents are suggesting that Khan has suffered serious problems with his eyesight, and people are getting genuinely worried.
The eye situation is alarming
Pakistan’s Supreme Court recently got involved after a medical report from a visit to Khan at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi painted a concerning picture. According to the report, Khan has lost most of the vision in his right eye and needs to be seen by specialist doctors who can properly evaluate what’s happening and what can be done about it. The Supreme Court didn’t just shrug this off. They directed authorities to arrange a thorough medical examination and make sure Khan gets appropriate treatment.
That directive from the court has opened up a heated public debate. Khan’s supporters and various public figures are pushing hard for him to have access to advanced medical facilities and to be allowed to consult with his own doctors rather than relying solely on prison medical staff. Jail authorities, for their part, are insisting that Khan is receiving medical attention that meets prison regulations, which isn’t exactly the reassuring answer people were hoping for.
A bond that goes back decades
Akram speaking up means something beyond just one celebrity supporting another. These two men shared one of Pakistani cricket’s most glorious moments: the 1992 Cricket World Cup victory that remains a defining chapter in the country’s sporting history. Akram was a key player in that triumph, and it was under Khan’s captaincy that he truly emerged as one of the most feared fast bowlers in the game. So when Akram says look after this man, it resonates with an entire generation of Pakistani cricket fans who remember what that team meant to them.
Former players and fans across the cricket world have been echoing similar concerns, making the point that whatever your politics are, a person’s right to proper medical care doesn’t disappear when they go to prison. Khan’s contribution to cricket is undeniable, and people are saying that has to count for something when it comes to treating him humanely.
Bigger than cricket
Imran Khan has been in custody since 2023, facing a series of legal cases that have kept him locked up while remaining arguably the most talked-about political figure in Pakistan. His health has become a flashpoint that goes well beyond cricket nostalgia or political allegiance. Legal observers are pointing out that access to adequate medical care isn’t a privilege for prisoners in Pakistan, it’s a constitutional right.
The scrutiny is coming from inside and outside the country, with international observers watching how Pakistan handles this situation. As the pressure builds, the government is expected to come out with more details on what Khan’s medical evaluation found and what the treatment plan looks like going forward.
For now, the image of Wasim Akram, a man who has generally stayed out of the political fray, feeling compelled to speak up publicly, says a lot about how serious people believe this situation has become.
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