'If US wishes, it can exchange Imran Khan for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui': Rana Sanaullah

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, has dismissed claims of US pressure for the release of the founding chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, stating it was a "baseless assumption."

He added that if the US wished, it could exchange Imran for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.

In an interview, Rana Sanaullah suggested that if Imran were to leave Pakistan, his political career would be over, and his party would disband.

He also remarked that, in his personal opinion, if US President-elect Donald Trump, after assuming office, asked for Imran's release, it should be considered, citing that the US had exerted considerable pressure for the release of Dr. Shakeel Afridi, but the Pakistani government had resisted.

Rana Sanaullah also stated that Pakistan could not afford another general election within the next three to six months.

Claims of Imran's potential release comes at a time when PTI's Zulfi Bukhari announced plans to discuss former's situation with US President-elect Donald Trump and his team.

Zulfi, a close ally of Imran, stated in an interview that he is in contact with Trump’s family members, including his daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

He further stated that he intends to address not only Imran Khan’s legal situation but also broader issues surrounding human rights, democratic values, and the rule of law in Pakistan after Trump assumes office.

Zulfi asserted that Trump has previously expressed concern over Khan’s legal challenges, signalling a possible ally for PTI’s cause.

Meanhile, Pakistan expects that the United States, under president-elect Donald Trump, would continue to pursue bilateral relationship on the basis of "mutual respect and non-interference" in each other's domestic affairs.

"We see this as speculative reporting, and as I just said, Pakistan and the United States are old friends and partners, and we will continue to pursue our relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual confidence and non-interference in each other's domestic affairs," Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters at her weekly briefing om Thursday.

Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also voiced scepticism over the likelihood of US support for Imran Khan’s release, stating that America also has a powerful "establishment" similar to Pakistan.

Asif added that Pakistan’s relations with the US would remain cooperative where interests align, but Pakistan will stand firm on issues of contention.