Former interior minister and Awami Muslim League Founder Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said that the country’s politics is revolving round the Army Chief’s appointment and PTI Chief Imran Khan wants this appointment on merit, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

While giving an interview to the Voice of America on Saturday, Sh Rashid called upon the establishment to find some middle way to stem the political commotion prevailing in the country. He also urged the judiciary to intervene in order to save democracy. 

The former interior minister was of the view that the Army should make all the political leadership sit together and conduct fair elections. 

Replying to a question about the long march, Sh Rashid said that after an assassination attempt on Imran’s life, he had advised him to resume his march from Rawalpindi. 

Q: You demand early elections but are not willing to sit/talk with the incumbent government. Don’t you think it’s a kind of deadlock situation?

Answer: The incumbent government is misleading the general populace. We demand election date and if the incumbent government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) are willing to announce one, then Imran Khan is ready to talk with them.

Q. If the government does not agree to come on this term, what will happen next, who would intervene and how the matter would be further proceeded? 

Answer: I believe it is the role of judiciary to intervene. If the courts can be opened late at night, then it is an issue of national integrity. For the sake of democracy's survival, the Court should step in. Democracy is already at its last leg and if it doesn’t survive, then all the key decisions would be delayed.

Q: Imran Khan's statements appear to be anti-establishment, and he stands fast on this. You claim to be GHQ's closer. Why did the situation deteriorate to the point where he turned anti-establishment?

Answer: I can’t get into in details, but I think that when there was no confidence movement, Khan was of the opinion that it wouldn't happen, whereas I was certain of it since then. Rest certain, I am with him, and I have not spoken to the establishment since Imran Khan's ouster. Neither they tried to approach me nor do I try to reach them.

Q: You didn’t even try to play the role of mediator between Imran and Establishment saga?

Answer: No, Imran Khan asked me not to putt off my gloves in this matter and it has now been publicly stated that there were conversations between Khan and the Establishment, but those negotiations bear no fruit yet.

Q: The matter of the appointment of new Army chief has been very critical is such circumstances. You and Imran Khan are both allies. So, what are Imran Khan's objections regarding the appointment of new Army chief, in your opinion?

Answer:  The nomination of the army chief is currently the most important decision in politics. Khan is demanding that the decision should be made on merit instead of the personal preferences of Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari. In general, I avoid discussing the Establishment and the judiciary.

Q. The incumbent government and Interior Minister termed the assassination attempt on Imran Khan as the case of religious extremism and the man who attacked the Khan was also a religious extremist.

Answer: This is a falsified and fabricated statement because it is uncommon to have an assassination attempt on one side and a confessional declaration on the other.