PML-N, PTI clash over Trump's influence

ISLAMABAD:

Senior leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the opposition PTI debated in media statements on Thursday about whether the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election could bring any hope for the release of the PTI founder from jail.

PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari said in a statement that he would raise the issue of injustices against the PTI founder Imran Khan before Trump. In response, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif played down any notion that the government would yield, even if Trump "makes a phone call" for freeing Imran.

Some people say that it's a matter of the call from America, and Imran Khan will be handed over to the callers [because] Pakistan cannot dare to refuse the call [from an American president]," the minister wrote in a post on social media platform 'X'.

"With respect, it is submitted that [former prime minister] Nawaz Sharif was offered $5 billion along with the call, but he refused and conducted nuclear explosions," he added. "[In contrast, former military ruler Pervez] Musharraf got a call and he gave in and agreed to what he was ordered to do."

Asif's tweet referred to the US pressure on Pakistan in 1998 not to conduct nuclear tests in response to India's nuclear explosions. Similarly, in 2001, Pakistan under Musharraf decided to join the US-led war on terrorism following terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on September 11.

Asif said that the 9-11 war was over now and peace had returned to Afghanistan, yet Pakistan still suffered the consequences in the form of terrorism. He then compared Nawaz, who refused to follow the US, and Musharraf, who surrendered to the US diktat.

Earlier, talking to a media outlet, Bukhari, a close confidant of the PTI founder, said that he was in touch with Trump's team and his family. "I will talk to Trump's team, daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner about the injustices against Imran Khan and the PTI after his oath taking," he said.

Bukhari added that he would discuss the violation of human rights and democratic values and the bad situation of the rule of law, including cases against Imran Khan in Pakistan. "Trump has a soft spot for Imran Khan and he has once expressed concern over the sentence given to him," he said.

Bukhari congratulated Trump on behalf of Imran Khan for his historic victory in the US presidential election. "Trump won a great victory after great difficulties. This is the victory for democracy, it is a clear message for a real change and economic stability that gives hope to other countries," he added.

However, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while talking to a private TV channel, said that he did not think that "Donald Trump will ask for the release" of the PTI founder because no one will vitiate the bilateral relationship for the sake of one person.

He highlighted the norms of diplomacy and the bilateral relations. He said that the Pakistan would pursue bilateral relations with the US, but it would "disagree with it when necessary". He called for immediate ceasefire in Gaza.