US Congressmen Joe Wilson and August Pfluger have sent a joint letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to engage with Pakistan’s military regime to secure the release of former prime minister Imran Khan.
The letter, dated February 25, stated that Khan’s imprisonment, which began in August 2023, is the result of politically motivated charges. It refers to Khan’s ouster in 2022 through a vote of no-confidence as a “suspension of democracy” in Pakistan, leading to strained ties between the two countries.
Wilson, a prominent member of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees and a close ally of US President Donald Trump, along with Pfluger, chair of the Republican Study Committee, expressed their concern about Khan’s imprisonment and its implications for US-Pakistan relations.
In the letter, Wilson and Pfluger assert that Khan is widely beloved in Pakistan and that his release would mark the beginning of a new era in US-Pakistan relations based on shared values of freedom. They likened Khan’s situation to that of Trump, suggesting that Khan, like Trump, is a victim of judicial abuse.
The congressmen also called on Rubio to work with Pakistan to restore democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the fundamental guarantees of due process, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech in the country.
They stressed that Khan deserves to be treated like any other politician and should not be imprisoned for his political views.
Wilson had previously posted on his X account calling for Khan’s release and shared a copy of the letter to Rubio, expressing hope that US-Pakistan relations could be strengthened through respect for freedom.
The letter concludes by stating that the strength of US-Pakistan relations hinges on the freedom of Imran Khan, with Wilson and Pfluger urging Rubio to act decisively.
