Supporters hopes dim as US State Department stays neutral on Imran Khan’s release

The U.S. State Department has denied any intention to intervene in the potential release of Pakistan’s opposition leader, Imran Khan.

When asked about providing political support to Khan, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce stated that the U.S. government “cannot comment on the internal frameworks of a country.” She noted that Trump had been in office for only eight weeks and that “there has been a lot going on”. She also suggested that anyone seeking Trump’s personal stance on the issue should reach out to the White House directly.

Khan has been in jail since 2023 and has faced numerous legal cases since his removal as prime minister—an ousting widely seen by his supporters as politically motivated.

The belief that Trump could use his influence to secure Khan’s release was popular among Pakistani-American Republican voters ahead of the U.S. presidential election. Many disillusioned Democratic voters also shifted their support to the Republican Party, citing Trump’s past relationship with Khan.

Khan's supporters disappointed

Zoya Cheema, a Texas-based IT professional and former Democratic voter who switched to the Republican Party, expressed disappointment with the U.S. administration’s response.

“I was at work, but my friend messaged me about it. I watched that part later, and was quite disappointed,” Cheema told Nukta.

Cheema’s frustration is shared by many other Khan supporters.

'Free Imran Khan'

The perception that the U.S. administration was prioritizing Khan’s release was fueled by a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) by Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell. One of Grenell’s tweets about Khan was viewed by 12 million users. In another post from December, which he later deleted, Grenell compared Trump to Khan as another celebrity-turned-politician.

Former Florida congressman and staunch Trump loyalist Matt Gaetz echoed Grenell’s sentiments, posting on X: “Free Imran Khan! Their Trump-like leader is in prison on phony charges, and the people have been inspired by the U.S. Red Wave. Stop the political prosecutions around the world!”

Khan’s supporters in the U.S. have actively lobbied for his release. Their efforts led to a resolution signed by 60 members of the House of Representatives last October.

Transactional relationship

Despite these efforts, experts are not surprised by the State Department’s lukewarm response.

Marvi Sirmed, a U.S.-based political analyst, noted that Trump has a particular way of handling foreign affairs.
“He is a businessman, and he will weigh things and look through his transactional glasses,” she said.

She added that Pakistani expatriates were influenced by the hype created by Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and its media cell—hype that did not necessarily align with the political reality.

“The Trump administration is not known as a champion of human rights anywhere,” Sirmed said. “If the present political and military leadership in Pakistan is offering the U.S. government what it wants, then securing Imran Khan’s release will never be a top priority.”

She pointed to the extensive cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistani intelligence agencies in the recent arrest of IS leader Sharifullah as evidence that Washington’s focus lies elsewhere.

Until then, Khan’s supporters, like Cheema, remain hopeful.

“I think we should give this administration more time,” she said, acknowledging pressing global issues such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.