Terming incarcerated prime minister Imran Khan a victim of “judicial abuse”, two US Congressmen — Joe Wilson and August Pfluger — urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to engage with Pakistan to free the PTI founder, it emerged on Thursday.
The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been behind bars since August 2023 after he was booked in multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism since his ouster from power via the opposition’s no-trust motion in April 2022.
It was not the first time that Wilson advocated for Khan’s release. In the recent past, he made several posts on his X account calling for Khan’s release. Earlier this month, Republican Congressman Wilson asked President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir to release Khan.
In their latest letter to the secretary of state, the duo stated: “You recall that Imran Khan was prime minister in your first term, and you both shared a strong relationship. He is widely beloved in Pakistan, and his release would usher in a new era of US-Pakistan relations with freedom values at its core.”
“Former PM Khan has been the victim of massive judicial abuse, not unlike President Trump.”
They urged the top US diplomat to work with Pakistan to “restore democracy, and respect for the fundamental guarantees of due process, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech” for the people of Pakistan.
They asserted that the imprisoned premier deserves to be treated as any other politician would be.
In another letter addressed to Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership earlier this month, Wilson said Khan’s release “would be a major step towards strengthening US-Pakistan relations”.
Wilson, who represents South Carolina’s 2nd congressional district and serves as assistant majority whip, made the appeal public on February 7, posting the letter on X.
Underscoring his push for the former premier’s release, he added: “I will also be engaging the Trump administration on this issue. US-Pakistan relations are strongest when Pakistan is democratic. Free Imran Khan”.
In addition to this, a group of around over a dozen British parliamentarians last month called for the immediate release and fair trial of Khan, as well as all political prisoners facing charges on several counts, including the May 9 and November 26 violence at an event at the Portcullis House.
The event was organised by a newly formed Friends of Democratic Pakistan-UK (FODP), set up by Safina Faisal, who said she took the initiative to highlight the issues, including the “killing of peaceful protestors, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary arrests targeting political workers, women, and journalists. Military trials of civilians and the erosion of democracy demand urgent attention”.
The MPs who attended the event included Andrew Pakes (Labour), Naz Shah (Labour), Jeremy Corbyn (Independent), Paul Waugh (Labour), James Asser (Labour), Kate Deardon (Labour), Jas Athwal (Labour), Gurinder Josan (Labour), Margaret Mullaine (Labour), Warinder Juss (Labour), Adnan Hussain (Independent), Preet Kaur (Labour), Ayoub Khan (Independent) and Iqbal Mohamed (Independent).
