Jailed ex-Pakistani PM Imran Khan draws parallels to President Trump in fight for justice

FIRST ON FOX: Pakistan’s erstwhile Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was jailed past period connected charges of corruption, is being compared by supporters to President Donald Trump fixed the mode they accidental authorities successful Pakistan person persecuted him. 

Many person linked his concern to Trump’s and blamed the authorities for jailing the fashionable erstwhile premier minister. Khan’s plight has besides been highlighted by longtime Trump state and advisor Richard Grenell, who took to societal media precocious past twelvemonth erstwhile helium tweeted, "Free Imran Khan!"

A Pakistani tribunal sentenced Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 14 and 7 years successful jailhouse aft uncovering them guilty of corruption. They were convicted for allegedly accepting onshore arsenic a bribe done the Al-Qadir Trust, which they had acceptable up portion Khan was successful office. Khan, however, maintains his innocence, describing the events arsenic a "witch hunt" successful exclusive comments to Fox News Digital. It is conscionable 1 of the much than 100 cases helium is facing.  

PAKISTANI COURT SENTENCES EX-PM IMRAN KHAN AND HIS WIFE TO 14 AND 7 YEARS IN PRISON IN GRAFT CASE

President Donald Trump greets Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan astatine the White House, July 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

In effect to Fox News Digital questions astir Khan's conviction, Pakistan's national curate for accusation and broadcasting, Ata Ullah TararIn, defended Khan's conviction. "The 190 cardinal lb lawsuit is 1 of the biggest corruption cases successful the past of Pakistan, and it is simply a mega scam successful which erstwhile Prime Minister Imran Khan, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, person been recovered to beryllium guilty. There is irrefutable grounds that they not lone utilized the authoritative presumption to assistance amerciable favour to a spot tycoon, but they besides received gratification and formed a sham spot successful bid to assistance this favour to a spot tycoon."

He continued, "This is corruption of the highest order, and the erstwhile premier curate has been convicted connected the ground of irrefutable grounds of corruption and this, this scam, which is the biggest scam successful the past of Pakistan, has reached its ineligible conclusion."

Khan has denied the charges and says his 2023 apprehension and consequent sentencing was a crippled to halt him from returning to office.

Supporters of Imran Khan chant slogans during a protestation against the Pakistan Election Commission, successful Lahore, Pakistan, March 10, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Khan's responses to Fox News Digital questions came via his spokespeople, who communicated them with the erstwhile premier minister. Khan noted the parallels betwixt himself and Trump, saying the 2 shared akin experiences. "The satellite contiguous needs steadfast enactment that champions peace, democracy, and quality rights, and I anticipation that his enactment tin lend to that vision". 

Trump's and Khan's experiences with the authorities stock are a cardinal similarity, but their stories reflector each different successful ways that spell beyond conscionable that.

While Trump transformed the U.S. governmental country with his "Make America Great Again" movement, Khan energized Pakistanis with his "Naya Pakistan" (New Pakistan) vision. And successful a mode akin to Trump, Khan did distant with the elitism of politics, focusing connected the mean idiosyncratic instead.

Khan told Fox News Digital that his governmental enactment "is an inclusive enactment that represents the divers cloth of Pakistan." He noted that portion Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was initially perceived arsenic a enactment of the educated elite, that conception was "quickly dispelled."

FORMER PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN ARRESTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES BY POLICE

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, his wife, talk to the media astatine an bureau of Lahore High Court successful Lahore, Pakistan, connected July 17, 2023. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary, File)

Khan continued, the "PTI resonates with radical from each walks of beingness – agrarian and urban, mediate people and marginalized – and it’s due to the fact that our policies prioritize inclusion, merit and justice." He added, "We correspond each provinces, castes and religions, ensuring that each dependable has a spot successful shaping Pakistan’s future. This inclusivity is what makes america the largest nationalist party, uniting Pakistan nether the principles of equity and fairness." 

Zuhair Ahmed, a waiter from Lahore, told Fox News Digital, "Imran Khan resonates with a divers assemblage from each taste groups and spiritual sects. We person ne'er seen a person who has this overmuch grassroots support-base. That’s the quality of it, and we are assured that helium volition instrumentality to powerfulness and marque the state better."

Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the governmental enactment of erstwhile Prime Minister Imran Khan, clasp a rally connected Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

PAKISTAN PREPARES FOR PIVOTAL ELECTION AS ONE OF THE LEADING CANDIDATES SERVES JAIL TIME

In Pakistan’s turbulent politics, it has been observed by immoderate analysts that "Allah, the service and America" are the cardinal to rule. Since Trump's instrumentality to office, the South Asian federation has been buzzing with speculation and anticipation implicit whether helium volition unit Khan's release. The 2 person a affable relationship, with Trump calling Khan "a precise bully person of mine" astatine a 2020 forum successful Davos. The two archetypal met successful Washington successful July 2019, which astatine the clip was considered a reset for U.S.-Pakistan relations.

Shortly aft Trump's triumph successful November, Grenell wrote connected X "Watch Pakistan… Their Trump-like person is successful situation connected phony charges, and the radical person been inspired by the U.S. Red Wave. Stop the governmental prosecutions astir the world!" 

Richard Grenell has stated connected societal media his enactment for freeing Imran Khan. (Justin Merriman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Zulfikar Bukhari, peculiar adjunct to Khan, told Fox News Digital "They accidental Grenell seems to beryllium the 2nd astir fashionable antheral successful Pakistan owed to his tweet supporting Khan." He added that Trump prevailed successful a akin situation, and "it's lone a substance of clip earlier Khan besides returns."

Khan tweeted his congratulations to Trump connected winning November's statesmanlike election, noting, "The volition of the American radical held against each odds." 

When it comes to nationalist priorities, Trump and Khan person enactment the system astatine the forefront. Khan has besides asserted that Pakistan volition thrive erstwhile helium makes his comeback. The country’s economy has teetered connected the verge of illness implicit the past fewer years. 

"Economic diplomacy volition beryllium cardinal to my approach. Pakistan is affluent successful earthy resources, yet we person hardly scratched the aboveground of our imaginable successful agriculture, industrialization, and IT," Khan stated. "These sectors clasp immense promise, some domestically and globally."

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Explaining his aspirations, Khan concluded, "Rather than relying connected handouts, we indispensable absorption connected self-sufficiency and leveraging our strengths to physique sustainable economical relationships. With a colonisation of 250 million, what succeeds internally tin and should beryllium positioned globally, creating opportunities for commercialized and concern that payment the federation and our planetary partners alike." 

Khan's connection to his supporters and foes alike, "The radical of Pakistan person ne'er been much awake oregon much determined. They spot with clarity what is happening to their nation, and they recognize the forces astatine play. I firmly judge that information and justness volition yet prevail. And arsenic agelong arsenic I person breath, I volition proceed to combat for this origin and for a Pakistan that reflects the volition and aspirations of its people."