Sh Rasheed asks ‘institutions’ to announce election date by May 31

Former interior Sheikh Rasheed said on Friday that he wanted to make the state institutions realise that they had committed a ‘blunder’ by allowing the toppling of the PTI government through a no-trust vote, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Speaking to the media after appearing in court in Rawalpindi, he asked these institutions to announce the date for general elections in the country by May 31, 2022.  “Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s popularity has increased immensely in the last few weeks,” he said, adding he was going to Mianwali along with Imran, and there was a possibility that the date for the ‘long march’ might be announced at the public gathering to be held in the city later in the evening today. 

He warned the government of grave consequences in case participants of the march came to any harm. “Even Imran will not be able to rein in his workers if God forbid that happens,” he said, and added, “I am saying this because I have been the country’s interior minister and I have a better idea of the security situation.”

Rasheed claimed his relations with the country’s ‘establishment’ were ‘quite cordial’. 

Former interior minister agreed that calling members of the coalition government ‘traitors’ was not appropriate. 

However, at the same time, he opined that wherever these people would go, people would hoot them. “The fact that the government has announced the formation of a commission to probe the letter gate scandal is a proof of its admission that there exists a ‘threatening letter',” Rasheed said, and added, “The present government will not only form the commission but will also give the date for elections."