Donald Trump’s nominee for Special Envoy, Richard Grenell, has stated that former Prime Minister Imran Khan should be released. He compared Khan’s situation to that of Trump, stating that both faced similar accusations and legal battles. Just as Trump was entangled in legal cases by his opponents in the U.S., Khan has been imprisoned on false charges by the ruling party, Grenell added.
In an interview with a U.S. news outlet, Grenell mentioned that Imran Khan is not a traditional politician but speaks common sense, which is why he had a good relationship with Trump. He also emphasized that countries with nuclear capabilities are dealt with differently. Grenell urged the Biden administration to make progress on matters related to Pakistan, pointing out that what the Biden administration failed to achieve in four years, it is now trying to accomplish in its last 45 days.
When asked about his repeated calls for Imran Khan’s release, Grenell noted that during the last four years, the Biden administration ignored countries like Pakistan. He also criticized the U.S. State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, for being overly cautious in responding to military court verdicts and questioned why he didn’t explicitly call for Khan’s release.
On concerns regarding Pakistan’s missile program, Grenell stated that the incoming Secretary of State will deal with the matters of nuclear-capable countries, and Pakistan will be part of that. He reiterated that Khan, like Trump, faces false corruption charges and that non-traditional, sensible politicians are better for the country. He further stated that if the founder of PTI wants to run for Prime Minister, it should be left to the people to decide. Grenell also mentioned that Pakistan should be added to the list of countries that have been postponing matters, noting that Pakistan has been delaying for the past four years.
