Richard Grenell in Belgrade, Serbia on January 24, 2020. Photo Credit: Milos Miskov / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images.
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Richard Grenell, chosen by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump as the presidential envoy for special missions, has voiced his support for releasing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan from jail.
In an interview with NEWSMAX, Grenell expressed concerns over Imran Khan’s imprisonment. He stated:
“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 emphasized that the people of Pakistan should decide whether Khan can run for office. He added that the U.S. had better relations with Pakistan under Khan’s leadership during the Trump administration.
“[Imran Khan] was an outsider, a former cricket player, not a politician, and he spoke in common-sense language. He and Donald Trump had a very good relationship.”
In November, 54 U.S. Congress members wrote to President Joe Biden, expressing concern over Imran Khan’s detention and the human rights situation in Pakistan. The letter urged the Biden administration to advocate for Khan’s immediate release.
The lawmakers termed Khan’s arrest “unlawful” and called for the release of all political prisoners in Pakistan.
“A focal point of our concern is the unlawful detention of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, widely perceived to be Pakistan’s most popular political figure,” the letter read.
The letter also referenced findings from the UN Working Group report and demanded action on the House resolution addressing Pakistan’s human rights issues.
