ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has welcomed the statement of Richard Grenell, US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee as envoy for special missions, who advocated for the release of incarcerated party founder Imran Khan. On the other hand, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) urged the United States to respect the country’s sovereignty.
Grenell, who is a close confidant of Trump, garnered attention in Pakistan when he demanded the release of Imran, who was ousted in April 2022 through a parliamentary no-confidence vote.
“Release Imran Khan,” Trump’s ally tweeted on November 26 — the day when authorities launched a late-night crackdown against PTI protesters marching on Islamabad’s D-Chowk.
A day earlier, Grenell — while talking to a US media outlet — said that the US had a much better relationship with Pakistan during the Trump administration when Imran Khan was the leader of Pakistan because “he was an outsider”.
“He [Imran Khan] was a former cricket player, he wasn’t a politician and he spoke in very common sense language, and he and Donald Trump had a very good relationship,” he said.
Reiterating his demand to release Imran, Grenell said: “There are a lot of the same allegations just like President Trump, where the ruling party put him in prison and created some sort of corruption allegations and false allegations.”
Grenell has held several critical roles during Trump’s first administration, including US ambassador to Germany, Special Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations, and Acting Director of National Intelligence.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan Wednesday said that they do not want the help of any country, including the United States, on the release of founder chairman Imran Khan. Reacting to the statement of the designated US special representative Richard Grenell, he said that the freedom of PTI founder will be in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Pakistan.
He said the PTI does not want the help of any country, including the United States; the release of the party founder will be with the participation of Pakistani people and through courts.
Gohar contended that they will neither request any country nor expected any country to move in this regard. “We thank all those who are trying for the release of PTI founder,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram welcomed the statements of Donald Trump’s designated special envoy.
In a statement, the PTI spokesperson said if someone makes a statement on human rights, then we welcome it. “We are grateful for the statement of new US administration, but this does not mean that the party leadership wants an intervention,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, other PTI leaders, including Zartaj Gul and Aliya Hamza, have welcomed Grenell’s statements.
Speaking to Geo News, PMLN Senator Talal Chaudhry responded to the statements of Trump’s ally, saying the government’s position is “very clear that this is our internal matter”.
“The US must respect our sovereignty,” he said, adding that they want the “child [Imran Khan] they brought up” to come back to power.
He rejected any possibility of the PTI founder being released with such statements, saying that Imran is accused of corruption and violating the Constitution.
A day earlier, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah — while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ — said the government “would not accept any pressure” from the new US administration to negotiate with PTI or release its party founder.
When questioned about potential pressure from the Trump administration in view of its loyalist Richard Grenell’s tweet demanding Imran’s release, Sanaullah replied, “We would not work under pressure of Donald Trump [...] if any intervention is made, we would consider it as interference in our sovereignty.”
The premier’s aide further said that they did not commence dialogue with the major opposition party due to Trump. He stressed that negotiations should be held bilaterally between the treasury and opposition.
