Sheikh Rasheed says Imran Khan has no interest in army chief appointment

LAHORE: Former Interior Minister and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed has asserted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has no ‘interest’ in appointment of army chief, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Talking to journalists at Lahore’s Zaman Park, the former federal minister said that Imran Khan has no ‘interest’ in the appointment of army chief as he just wants selection to be made on merit.

Sheikh Rasheed noted that doctors had advised the former premier not to travel, claiming that there was still a threat to the PTI chief’s life. “Efforts will be made to arrange Imran Khan’s address before the evening,” he added.

Speaking of the PTI’s long march, Rasheed said people would march on Islamabad in the daylight. “We have only one demand, free and fair elections,” he added.

The AML chief further said that if PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif wants to return to Pakistan, he has a diplomatic passport. “A politician never closes the door of negotiations”, he added.

READ: PTI’S RAWALPINDI MARCH: IMRAN KHAN GIVES TASKS TO CENTRAL, PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS

A day earlier, Imran Khan called on his party workers and supporters to reach Rawalpindi on November 26. He asked the party workers and supporters to reach Rawalpindi between 1-2 pm. “I will meet you there,” he added.

“You [workers and supporters] should try to reach between 1-2pm. I will myself address and give the next plan of action,” the PTI Chairman added, reiterating that there was no other solution to the country’s issues than fresh and fair elections.

“We can never achieve real freedom while sitting at home,” the former prime minister said, urging the supporters to come out and forced the government to call snap polls.

He also criticized the incumbent government over ‘failed economic policies’, saying that the present rules do not have any plan or road map to lift the country out of crises.

“What Pakistan has achieved by regime change in the last seven months,” he asked, adding: “Why they were them on the country.”

Imran Khan further said that the nation cannot afford to remain neutral at the current juncture. “I have no need to risk my life and set out but it was in my mind from childhood that death is better than slavery,” he added.