- Asif says let’s wait what stance Trump takes on Khan’s release.
- Rauf Hassan says PTI never pinned hopes on Trump winning.
- Imran Khan and PTI leaders congratulate Trump on his victory.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that the government believes that Donald Trump, who won the US presidential election, will not call for the release of Imran Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), from prison after assuming office.
Asif’s statements came hours after Republican Trump won the race to the White House after defeating Democrat Kamala Harris, four years after he was eliminated from the vote.
“We don’t think Trump will call for the release of the founder of the PTI movement. Let’s wait 15 to 20 days and see what position he takes,” the Defense Minister said while speaking during the conference. Geographic News Special broadcast about the US elections.
After Trump’s victory, Khan congratulated the US president-elect, saying it would be beneficial for “Pakistan-US relations based on mutual respect for democracy and human rights.”
The jailed prime minister said his party hopes Trump will push for peace, human rights and democracy globally.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PTI MP, Omar Ayub Khan, also extended his congratulations to Trump and his deputy-elect JD Vance on their election victory.
This congratulations comes at a time when the party’s founder remains imprisoned for more than a year after being convicted in multiple cases.
During his tenure as Pakistan’s prime minister, Khan established cordial relations with the Trump administration – which is why the PTI movement is celebrating the US president-elect’s return to power as a potential asset.
PTI never pinned hopes on Trump: Rauf Hassan
Meanwhile, PTI leader Rauf Hassan said the party had never hoped for Khan to be released after Trump’s victory.
“We never pinned hopes and did not count on Trump’s victory. We received support from the judiciary and parliament and protested the release of the founder of the PTI movement,” he stressed.
Raouf said that no such discussion had taken place within the parliamentary party.
PTI has a “normal interaction” with the foundation, he added, adding that they have not had any communication with the foundation regarding any “specific issue or release of Khan.”