Pakistan downplays Trump envoy pick’s comments calling for release of Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has downplayed comments by Richard Grenell, the pick for US presidential envoy for special missions, calling for the release of jailed ex-premier Imran Khan, saying the government did not expect the remarks to have any “repercussions.”

“I don’t think there is any pressure involved,” Asif said in an interview with Independent Urdu when asked if the Pakistan government expected pressure from the US on Khan’s release after Grenell’s appointment.

“In American politics, there are different considerations that different people and parties have and according to that they express their views, but as far as government to government relations go, their expression or interpretation through any tweets, or such statements, is far-fetched … I don’t think there will be any repercussions of [Grenell’s tweets] at any level.”

In an X post on Nov. 26, Grenell posted “Released Imran Khan!” as his party held protests in the Pakistani capital to demand their leader’s release from prison. In a second post, he said, “Watch Pakistan. Their Trump-like leader is in prison on phony charges … Stop the political prosecutions around the world!” On Tuesday morning, Grenall posted again in support of Khan. 

There has been renewed interest in the online posts since last Saturday when US President-elect Donald Trump said he was picking Grenell, his former intelligence chief, as new presidential envoy for special missions, igniting hopes in pro-Khan camps that he would push for the jailed former prime minister’s release when formally appointed after Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025.

Khan has been in jail since August 2023 on charges he says are trumped up by the government and the all-powerful military to keep him away from politics. Both deny the charge.