In Pakistan’s Political Chessboard, Imran Khan’s Supporters Look to Trump for a Rescue

Pakistan’s political landscape has long been shaped by the influence of Allah, the military, and America. Today, supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan are pinning their hopes on the wild card among these forces: the incoming Donald J. Trump administration.

While Trump has not publicly indicated any intention to intervene in Khan’s case, his swearing-in on Monday has sparked fervent optimism among Khan’s followers. Despite Pakistan’s likely low priority in Trump’s foreign policy agenda, a series of social media posts by Richard Grenell, a close Trump ally, has inspired a near-messianic belief among Khan’s supporters that the former and future American President might help secure Khan’s release.

Grenell, who served as ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, was recently appointed as Trump’s “envoy for special missions.” He has repeatedly demanded Khan’s freedom in posts on X, formerly Twitter. One post, made shortly after Grenell’s appointment, garnered over 12 million views. In December, he even compared Khan to Trump, describing the Pakistani leader as “Trump-like” and calling for an end to “political prosecutions around the world.” Although Grenell later deleted that post, his support has fueled hope among Khan’s followers.

Another prominent Trump loyalist, former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, echoed Grenell’s sentiments, posting on X: “Free Imran Khan!” The reasons for Grenell’s advocacy remain unclear, as he has not responded to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, members of Pakistan’s diaspora have been lobbying vigorously in the U.S., even as Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), suffers arrests, crackdowns, and censorship back home. Khan, once an ally of Pakistan’s powerful military, has been in jail since 2023 on charges he claims are politically motivated. Last Friday, a court handed him and his wife, Bushra Bibi, another prison sentence for corruption.

To Khan’s followers, expressions of support from Trump’s camp feel like lifelines. “At last, our message is breaking through,” said Atif Khan, a Houston-based PTI official. The hope generated by these posts has spread rapidly across WhatsApp groups and community gatherings, where supporters celebrate each statement as a sign of impending change.

Khan’s supporters often draw comparisons between him and Trump, casting both as political outsiders under siege by entrenched elites. They note their shared reliance on social media to bypass traditional power structures.

At Raja Bazaar in Rawalpindi, a bustling market known to reflect the national political mood, 43-year-old Mohammad Sarwar expressed a widely held belief. “Trump will help free Imran Khan,” he said, invoking Trump’s name with near-reverence.

This shift toward courting American intervention is a notable departure for PTI, which has historically criticized U.S. policies. Khan himself accused the U.S. of orchestrating his 2022 ouster. Now, however, his supporters frame their struggle as aligned with American values of democracy and human rights.

Trump’s past remarks on Pakistan complicate this narrative. In 2018, he accused Pakistani leaders of “lies and deceit,” freezing $1.3 billion in security aid and spearheading efforts to place Pakistan on the Financial Action Task Force’s blacklist. These actions remain sore points in Pakistan.

Nonetheless, Khan’s tenure as Prime Minister from 2018 saw moments of cordiality with Trump. In July 2019, Trump hosted Khan at the White House, and in Davos the following year, he called him “a very good friend of mine.”

Pakistan’s ruling coalition, however, dismisses PTI’s hopes for Trump’s support as unrealistic. “The Trump administration, even if inclined to pressure Pakistan, would prioritize financial leverage, not the release or return of Khan to power,” said Khurram Dastgir-Khan, a former defense and foreign minister from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party.

As the Trump era approaches its next chapter, the belief among Khan’s supporters that he might intervene reflects both their desperation and the unpredictable dynamics of Pakistan’s turbulent politics.