US congressmen Joe Wilson and August Pfluger have sent a joint letter to State Secretary Marco Rubio and urged him to engage in Pakistan’s military regime to secure the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The letter, dated February 25, stated that Khan’s prison, which began in August 2023, is the result of politically motivated charges. It refers to Khan’s radiance in 2022 through a vote on non-confidence as a “suspension of democracy” in Pakistan, leading to strained ties between the two countries.
Wilson, a prominent member of House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services, and a close ally of US President Donald Trump, along with Pfluger, president of the Republican Study Committee, expressed their concern over Khan’s prison and its consequences for the US-Pakistan connections.
In the letter, Wilson and Pfluger claim that Khan is widely loved in Pakistan and that his release would mark the beginning of a new era in the US-Pakistan connections based on shared values of freedom. They compared Khan’s situation with Trump, which suggests that Khan, like Trump, is a victim of abusing.
Congress members also called on Rubio to work with Pakistan to restore democracy, human rights, the rule of law and the basic guarantees of proper process, freedom of press, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression in the country.
They emphasized that Khan deserves to be treated like any other politician and should not be imprisoned for his political views.
Wilson had previously sent to his X account, which called for Khan’s release and shared a copy of the letter to Rubio, which expressed hope that the US-Pakistan relationship could be strengthened through respect for freedom.
The letter concludes by stating that the strength of the US -Pakistan relationship is linked to Imran Khan’s freedom, where Wilson and Pfluger urge Rubio to act resolutely.
