Imran Khan’s sons conclude US visit without meeting any Trump officials

Former prime minister Imran Khan's sons have returned to London after their US trip. They met with several US Congress representatives but were unable to secure an official meeting with Trump administration officials to advocate for their father's release.

Their departure has triggered internal clashes within the overseas chapter of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. One PTI leader criticised the US chapter for failing to arrange a meeting with any senior member of the Trump administration or secure significant media coverage with prominent US outlets.

A leader from the PTI US chapter stated that Imran Khan’s sons, Sulaiman Khan, 28, and Kasim Khan, 26, met several US Congress members, including Brad Sherman, Mike Levin (California), Gregory Meeks (Ranking Member, House Foreign Affairs Committee), Jim Costa, Ted Lieu, Bill Huizenga, Andy Harris, and Joe Wilson.

Read: Imran Khan bars sons from visiting Pakistan for August 5 protest movement 

As part of the campaign to advocate for their father’s release, the brothers also met Richard Grenell, a close aide to Donald Trump.

However, sources said the meeting was unplanned and took place during a pre-scheduled gathering Grenell was having with a Sikh delegation.

Grenell later confirmed the encounter in a post on the social media platform X.

According to sources quoted by Geo News, “There was no official meeting between Imran Khan’s sons and any member of the Trump administration.”

“It’s true they met Ambassador Grenell, but this happened outside the venue where he was already meeting with a Sikh delegation. He didn’t have an in-depth conversation with them, as they were part of a larger group. It was more of a photo opportunity than a substantive discussion,” the source added.

Another PTI insider quoted a staff member from Grenell’s office, said the ambassador was unhappy, as he had not been briefed about the meeting in advance. “That was the only request that came to the office. Otherwise, it’s a conflict of interest, and Grenell could get in trouble,” the staff member noted.

Read: Fake menu goes viral after social media claims Imran Khan’s sons ate ‘pork’ during US visit

“Those who arranged these meetings seemed more focused on self-promotion than on securing Imran Khan’s release,” they added.

Conversely, a PTI member involved in organising the meetings defended the effort, calling the visit “fruitful.”

“We are aware that some are trying to downplay the success of these meetings. Imran Khan’s sons met with key congressmen and raised the issue of their father’s imprisonment, and that’s what truly matters. We prioritised substance over media publicity and PR,” the member said.

Imran Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023, currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case. He also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act in connection with the May 9, 2023, protests.