American congressman Joe Wilson has asked President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the head of the Army staff, the general also Munir, to free former Pinister Imran Khan, arguing that his freedom would help strengthen relations between states between states United and Pakistan.
In a letter addressed to Pakistan’s civil and military leadership, Wilson declared that liberating Khan “would be a great step to strengthen relations between the United States and Pakistan.” The South Carolina Republican, who serves as the assistant of most whip, made his appeal public on February 7, sharing the letter in X (previously Twitter).
“Grateful to send this letter today to Pakistan’s political and military leaders to free Imran Khan,” Wilson wrote.
Wilson, a firm critic from China, Iran and Russia, linked the state of democracy in Pakistan with the strength of Pakistan’s American ties. He affirmed that relations between the two countries have been stronger when Pakistan embraces democratic ideals, the rule of law and human rights.
While pressing the launch of Khan, Wilson acknowledged his “many disagreements” with the PTI leader, particularly his support for the Chinese Communist Party and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he emphasized: “Democracy cannot work if political opponents are unfairly arrested for politicized positions instead of defeated at the polls.”
Hours after launching his letter, Wilson took the subject to the floor of the House of Representatives of the United States, reiterating his demand to “free Imran Khan” in a speech.
He accused Pakistan’s army of undermining democracy and said: “President Trump has survived a corrupt judicial system and knows the danger of persecution. Pakistan should free Imran Khan, restoring democracy.”
During his speech, the images of North Korean, Iranian, Russian and Chinese leaders were exhibited in a poster by his side, reinforcing his position as a hawk of critical foreign policy of authoritarian regimes.
Wilson’s statement has received broad support from PTI members and Khan’s followers on social networks. However, critics and fact verifiers have challenged their claim that relations between the United States and Pakistan thrive under democracy, pointing out that historically, American ties with Pakistan have often strengthened during military regimes.
This is not the first time that Wilson advocates the launch of Khan. On January 23, he had published “Imran Khan for free” in X, indicating his continuous interest in the political landscape of Pakistan.
