Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Muhammad shared that imprisoned party founder Imran Khan remains optimistic, anticipating a positive shift with Donald Trump’s possible return to the White House. The former prime minister believes that Trump’s leadership could ease what he perceives as “negativity” towards Pakistan, which, according to Ali, has intensified under President Joe Biden’s administration.
During an appearance on Geo News’ program Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath on Wednesday, Ali disclosed that when Imran Khan was informed of Trump’s recent victory, he expressed hope, recalling the positive relations shared between the two during his tenure as prime minister. In contrast, Imran described the Biden administration as fostering interference and hostility toward Pakistan.
The PTI has consistently alleged U.S. interference in Imran’s removal from office in April 2022. “Imran emphasized that under Biden, there was interference in Pakistan’s domestic affairs, leading to increased negativity,” Ali said.
Trump won the recent U.S. presidential election on Tuesday, securing victory after a highly polarizing campaign that saw two assassination attempts and Vice President Kamala Harris entering the race after Biden’s unexpected withdrawal.
Ali noted that PTI’s supporters abroad view Trump’s return as potentially beneficial to Imran’s political standing, hoping it could reduce diplomatic and political pressures. “There will definitely be an impact once the Trump administration takes office. This is a good development if we see positive leadership with whom we’ve previously had good relations,” he elaborated.
“The overseas PTI chapter, which campaigned for Khan’s release, believes that Trump’s leadership could ease pressures on Imran or at least reduce the negative sentiment that prevailed under Biden,” Ali added.
Despite the ongoing challenges, Ali emphasized Imran’s commitment to remain in Pakistan, expressing readiness to face legal obstacles imposed by the current administration. He maintained that a neutral stance from state institutions could potentially improve the political environment.
Meanwhile, during Geo News’ special coverage of the U.S. election, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the government does not expect Trump to call for Imran Khan’s release after taking office. “We don’t think Trump will demand the PTI founder’s release. Let’s wait for 15 to 20 days to see his position,” said Asif.
In the same segment, PTI leader Raoof Hasan clarified that the party has not depended on Trump’s win for Imran’s release. “We’ve never pinned hopes on Trump’s victory. We are relying on the judiciary, parliament, and peaceful protests for Imran’s release,” he asserted, adding that no such discussions had occurred within PTI’s parliamentary meetings.
