ISLAMABAD: Richard Grenell, the US Envoy for Special Missions under President Donald Trump, met with the jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sons in California on Wednesday and renewed calls for their father’s release, describing his imprisonment as “political prosecution.”
A close aide to the US president, Grenell has been a vocal supporter of Khan in recent months. His endorsement is seen as symbolically significant by supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party who are seeking international attention on the issue.
In a post on social media platform X, Grenell shared a photo with Sulaiman and Kasim Khan, saying:
“You must stay strong. There are millions of people around the world who are sick of political prosecutions. You are not alone. #FreeImranKhan.”
The meeting comes as PTI prepares to launch a protest campaign in Pakistan demanding Khan’s release. The party has announced that Khan’s sons, who have largely avoided political engagement, will also participate in the campaign.
Khan, 71, has been jailed since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence on a number of charges. PTI says he faces more than 100 legal cases, all of which he calls politically motivated.
PTI also remains under pressure, with several senior leaders behind bars and others in hiding or facing legal challenges. Rights groups have accused Pakistani authorities of cracking down on dissent and curbing space for political opposition.
In a rare social media post last month, Khan’s sons raised concerns about their father’s prison conditions and called for his release, saying they feared for his health and well-being.
The PTI has yet to finalize details of its planned protest campaign, expected to begin in early August to coincide with the second anniversary of Khan’s arrest.
The party has framed the movement as a democratic struggle for civil liberties and judicial independence.
