‘State has tried to airbrush Imran Khan almost out of existence’: Michael Atherton explains the reason behind the letter

Former Pakistan all-rounder and prime minister Imran Khan ’s health is deteriorating by the day. Imran has been in prison since 2023 on corruption charges, which he vehemently denies. Some of his sympathisers who don’t live in Pakistan anymore often speak of how badly he is being treated in jail. That he has no access to medical care. Earlier this year, there were reports that he had lost sight in one of his eyes, after which a bunch of former cricketers sent out a petition requesting that the former all-rounder, who led Pakistan to the 1992 World Cup win, be treated humanely.

Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev among 21 cricketers to write to Shehbaz Sharif, request ‘humane treatment’ for Imran Khan

Last week, again, 21 former cricketers wrote another letter to the authorities in Pakistan, reiterating that he be given due care after reports emerged that Imran was taken to a hospital following a top-court order but wasn’t seen to properly. Former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain were also part of those 21 cricketers. Atherton, a renowned TV commentator now, on Sky Sports explained that why he became part of the group that petitioned the authorities in Pakistan. He revealed there was more to the appeal as there was an attempt "to ‘airbrush Imran almost out of existence.”

"Nass [Nasser Hussain] and I were among 21 former captains who sent a second letter yesterday, a humanitarian appeal for Imran Khan to get the requisite level of treatment. But I suppose the basic theme was the way the state has tried to airbrush Imran almost out of existence, which is increasingly difficult to do in a social media age," Atherton said on a Sky Sports cricket podcast in the company of Hussain.

Former Indian cricketers Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar were also part of the group. Cricketers in Pakistan, contemporary or retired, don't voice support for Imran for fear of offending the authorities, particularly the military side of it. So it’s quite extraordinary that three ex-Indian cricketers have shown their support for Imran, who, as the prime minister back in the day, wasn’t exactly very friendly to their country. “I don’t blame Pakistani cricketers for not speaking up. They have to live there. But I would like to support my friend, whom we admired and played with," Kapil said.

"We don't know the law of the country, that's fine. But humility and simple facilities should be given to a prisoner, whoever he may be. And he was a former prime minister of the country and a top cricketer.

"We want him to get the best treatment, [that's] what we are asking for. We are not asking for anything else, we are not asking for any replies, we are requesting," the former India captain added.

Prateek Srivastava is a senior sports journalist having been in the profession for two decades now. He started his print career with the India Today Group and later also worked for the Asian Age. In 2009, sensing the wind of change, he switched to the digital media and joined Mobile ESPN. There, he covered the 2011 Cricket World Cup and 2010 Hockey World Cup as a venue reporter. He did plenty of voice-over work too, over there.