Richard Grenell, a close aide to US President-elect Donald Trump, has received significant media and political attention in Pakistan for his persistent social media posts advocating for the release of the country’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan. .
The situation worsened on November 26, when the Pakistani government launched a violent crackdown in Islamabad to disperse anti-government protesters demanding Khan’s release. In response, Grenell tweeted his support on social media platform X, saying, “Free Imran Khan!”
His original post received limited attention, but on December 15, President Trump appointed Grenell as special envoy for the incoming administration’s global mission, and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek・Attention was further increased by the Insaf (PTI) party and its supporters.
Pakistan’s prominent Geo News channel, which has often been accused of acting as a mouthpiece for the country’s military, ran an X headline that read, “Trump appoints gay Richard Grenell as special envoy.” reacted to Grenell’s selection.
In response, the next U.S. special envoy reiterated his message, saying: Free Imran Khan,” he said in a subsequent post, noting that his previous tweet had received 10 million views.
Grenell held several key positions under the first Trump administration from 2017 to 2021, including U.S. ambassador to Germany, special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations, and acting director of national intelligence. His pro-Khan tweets have sparked speculation about their policies. Potential impact on the political situation in Pakistan.
Commentators on Pakistani TV talk shows have picked up on Grenell’s tweets, with some downplaying his social media engagements as mere public relations efforts, and others ultimately pointing to the new government’s relationship with Islamabad. Some warn that it could affect social interactions.
Some critics in Pakistan even questioned the credibility of his X account. Grenell quickly responded to the skepticism by tweeting, “How can I prove I’m real?” He made his latest pro-Khan tweet on Saturday in response to concerns expressed by U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin on the X show about deadly anti-government protests that erupted in Pakistan’s capital last month.
“Pakistani authorities must protect the people’s rights to free speech and peaceful assembly, hold violators accountable, and protect Pakistan’s democracy,” Slotkin wrote.
Khan, considered Pakistan’s most popular politician, has been imprisoned since August 2023 on various charges including corruption and treason. The lawsuit against him alleges it is a politically motivated attempt to prevent him, a vocal critic of military involvement in civilian rule, from returning to power.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government, which is believed to be backed by the military, disputes these allegations and urges Khan to prove his innocence in court rather than leveling so-called baseless charges. is encouraging.
Mr. Khan and independent analysts say Mr. Sharif’s PTI party would have a significant majority in the February 2024 parliamentary elections if it were not for allegations of election fraud orchestrated by the military to pave the way for Mr. Sharif’s party to form a government. He claims that he would have obtained .
PTI candidates and supporters faced a state-led crackdown ahead of the vote, with key party leaders and candidates forced to go into hiding and hundreds of others rounded up, effectively Critics say it hurt the campaign.
During his tenure from 2018 to 2022, Khan and his government played a key role in facilitating peace negotiations between the then-Trump administration and the Afghan Taliban, which ultimately ended in August 2021. contributed to the withdrawal of US troops.
Mr Khan issued a statement from prison via his X account following Mr Trump’s election victory last month, congratulating him on behalf of himself and his party.
“President-elect Trump will have a positive impact on the U.S.-North Korea relationship, which is based on mutual respect for democracy and human rights. We look forward to him promoting peace, human rights, and democracy worldwide. ” said the former Pakistani leader.
Mr. Khan’s critics, including the Sharif government, have criticized him and his party for calling for U.S. intervention, recalling his consistent opposition to outside interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs.
The former prime minister was ousted in April 2022 by a vote of no confidence in the opposition parliament. Khan rejected the vote as illegal and claimed it was orchestrated by Pakistan’s military on orders from the United States, a charge denied by military officials and Washington.
