{"id":16241,"date":"2026-08-25T05:28:40","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T05:28:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=16241"},"modified":"2026-08-25T05:28:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T05:28:40","slug":"imran-khan-state-tried-to-airbrush-imran-khan-out-of-existence-atherton-on-appeal-for-former-pakistan-pm-cricket-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=16241","title":{"rendered":"Imran Khan: &#8216;State tried to airbrush Imran khan out of existence&#8217;: Atherton on appeal for former Pakistan PM | Cricket News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133489396,imgsize-985669,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg\" alt=\"'State tried to airbrush Imran khan out of existence': Atherton on appeal for former Pakistan PM\" title=\"Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (Reuters)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (Reuters)\">Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (Reuters)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Former England captain Michael Atherton has revealed why he joined a group of 21 former international cricketers in calling on Pakistani authorities to ensure imprisoned former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/imran-khan\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Imran Khan<\/a> receives proper medical treatment.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>Imran has been in prison since 2023 after being convicted in corruption cases, charges he has vehemently denied. Concerns over his health have grown in recent months, with reports earlier this year claiming that he had lost sight in one eye.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/>The reports prompted former cricketers to appeal to the authorities for his medical care. Last week, 21 former international players again wrote to the authorities after Imran was reportedly taken to a hospital following an order from the country\u2019s top court, but was allegedly not properly examined.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>Atherton, speaking on a Sky Sports cricket podcast alongside former England captain Nasser Hussain, said the appeal was not simply about ensuring medical treatment for Imran. He also expressed concern over what he described as an attempt to erase the former Pakistan leader from public life.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/>\u201cNass [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,\u201d Atherton said on a Sky Sports cricket podcast in the company of Hussain.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/>The group included several prominent former cricketers from across the cricketing world. Former India captains Kapil Dev, <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/sunil-gavaskar\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sunil Gavaskar<\/a> and Dilip Vengsarkar were also among those who signed the appeal.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>The involvement of the three Indian cricketers was particularly notable given the political tensions between India and Pakistan and Imran\u2019s own history as Pakistan\u2019s prime minister.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>Kapil explained why he felt compelled to support his former cricketing rival and friend, while also acknowledging that Pakistani cricketers could be in a difficult position if they spoke publicly.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>\u201cI don\u2019t 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,&#8221; Kapil said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>The former India captain stressed that the appeal was not about intervening in Pakistan\u2019s legal process but about ensuring basic care and dignity for a prisoner.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/>\u201cWe don&#8217;t know the law of the country, that&#8217;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.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"37\"\/>\u201cWe want him to get the best treatment, [that&#8217;s] what we are asking for. We are not asking for anything else, we are not asking for any replies, we are requesting,&#8221; the former India captain added.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"39\"\/>Imran led Pakistan to their only men\u2019s ODI World Cup title in 1992 and was considered one of the finest all-rounders the game has ever seen, before moving into politics and eventually becoming the country\u2019s prime minister. His imprisonment has continued to draw international attention, while concerns over his health have added another dimension to the controversy surrounding his detention.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/cricket\/news\/state-tried-to-airbrush-imran-khan-out-of-existence-atherton-on-appeal-for-former-pakistan-pm\/articleshow\/133489095.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (Reuters) Former England captain Michael Atherton has revealed why he joined a group of 21 former international cricketers in calling on Pakistani authorities to ensure imprisoned former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan receives proper medical treatment.Imran has been in prison since 2023 after being convicted in corruption cases, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (Reuters) Former England captain Michael Atherton has revealed why he joined a group of 21 former international cricketers in calling on Pakistani authorities to ensure imprisoned former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan receives proper medical treatment.Imran has been in prison since 2023 after being convicted in corruption cases, [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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