RAWALPINDI: Former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Tuesday warned of a bloodbath during former prime minister Imran Khan’s upcoming long march, urging the “powers” to mediate talk between Shehbaz Sharif-led government and PTI Chairman.
His statement comes over a day after he claimed that PML-N leaders are planning to kill him and were trying to attack the long march.
Speaking to the media in Rawalpindi today, Sheikh Rasheed said that there would be no peace “in a country where a drug dealer is the interior minister”.
“These people want to take the situation elsewhere, but we pray that peace prevails in the country,” he said, adding that fighting has started on the streets for which he held Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah responsible.
He reiterated his support for Imran Khan, saying he will stand by him in the long march.
The former interior minister said that the people whose face the public did not want to see have been given power. “The situation in the country is bad and these issues should be resolved by May 31,” he said, asking that a date for an election should be finalised within 90 days.
In response to a question, Rashid said he stands with the Pakistan Army and that if Imran Khan assigns him the duty to communicate, he will be ready to do so.
A day earlier, the ex-interior minister had said that former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan was “ready to sit” with premier Shehbaz Sharif over talks of an early election.
In an interview with international news agency, the ex-interior minister said he was making efforts to clear the “misunderstandings” between the establishment and the PTI.
Rashid added that although he was in favour of “peace” with the armed forces, but in case of a “war”, he would stand by the PTI chairman.
The ex-interior minister said the PTI’s long march was not aimed at anything but the announcement of early general elections as Khan was not ready to accept the new government.
Khan repeatedly blamed the US for backing the no-confidence motion — that lead to his ouster last month — and has refused to accept the newly-elected premier, saying “there can’t be any bigger insult to this country”.
