President-elect Trump unlikely to seek Imran Khan's release: defence minister

• Asif says to wait what stand Trump takes on Khan's release. 
• Raoof Hasan says PTI never pinned hopes on Trump's win. 
• Imran Khan, PTI leaders congratulate Trump on his victory. 

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that the government believes Donald Trump, who won the US presidential election, will not call for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's release from prison after he takes the office. 

Asif's comments came hours after Republican Trump won the race to the White House after beating Democrat Kamala Harris, four years after he was voted out. 

"We don't think Trump will call for PTI founder's release. Let's wait for 15 to 20 days and see what stand he takes," said the defence minister while speaking during Geo News special transmission on US election. 

Following Trump's victory, Khan congratulated the US president-elect, saying that he will be good for "Pak-US relations based on mutual respect for democracy and human rights". 

The incarcerated prime minister said that his party hopes Trump will push for peace, human rights and democracy globally. 

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PTI lawmaker Omar Ayub Khan also extended congratulations to Trump and his VP-elect JD Vance on winning the polls. 

The felicitations come at a time when the party's founder remains imprisoned for over a year following convictions in multiple cases.

During his tenure as prime minister of Pakistan, Khan shared amicable ties with Trump administration — a reason why the PTI celebrates the US president-elect's return to power as a potential advantage.

PTI never pinned hopes on Trump: Raoof Hasan 

Meanwhile, PTI leader Raoof Hasan said that the party had never hoped that Khan would be released after Trump's victory. 

"We had never pinned hopes and neither we are relying on Trump's win. We have taken support from the judiciary, parliament and protest for PTI founder's release," he asserted. 

Raoof said that no such discussion has either taken place within the parliamentary party. 

He added that the PTI has "normal interaction" with the establishment, adding that they don't have any contact with the establishment regarding any "specific issue or Khan's release".