By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Rana Sanaullah, the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, has dismissed speculation surrounding US pressure for the release of Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). In a recent interview, he called the claims “baseless” and suggested that if the United States were genuinely interested in influencing the situation, it might consider swapping Khan for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani national currently imprisoned in the United States.
Sanaullah further emphasized that if Imran Khan were to leave Pakistan, it would mark the end of his political career, with PTI likely dissolving in the aftermath. He also addressed the prospect of US President-elect Donald Trump intervening on Khan’s behalf, stating that if Trump were to request Khan’s release once in office, Pakistan might consider it.
He drew a parallel to the case of Dr. Shakeel Afridi, a Pakistani doctor who assisted the US in locating Osama bin Laden, whose release the US had sought but Pakistan had resisted. Despite these international considerations, Sanaullah made it clear that Pakistan cannot afford another general election in the next three to six months, a sentiment that complicates the already tense political climate.
