Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad is a veteran figure in Pakistan politics and founder of the Awami Muslim League-Pakistan (AMLP). A firebrand politician who has a knack of attracting controversies, owing to his candid style of speaking, Rasheed is currently serving as the Interior Minister and is considered a close aide and ally of Prime Minister Imran Khan. This week Bol News had the privilege to speak to him on a number of national and political issues including the performance of the PTI government, the many challenges confronting the country, the probable impact of the local bodies polls in the provinces as well as the rumours regarding the return of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan.
Rumours are rife in political arenas as well as in the power corridors in Islamabad that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may return to Pakistan before the next general elections, scheduled for 2023? Do you realistically see this happening anytime soon?
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad (SRA): Well, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s arrival to Pakistan has been hyped for no reason. It is a useless chatter. It does not make any difference whether he comes or not. But If Nawaz Sharif really wants to return, I will grant him a visa within 24 hours and will pay for his ticket. The former premier is healthy and fine and, in fact, he was never ill. How much drama he created to leave Pakistan, everyone knows. But if he wants to return now, he is more than welcome. Three members of his family are in Pakistan and he can return if he wants to. Because while sitting in London, he had no other job but to attack the country’s judiciary and armed forces which are the two of the most prestigious institutions in the country. The country’s Army and other key institutions are dedicated to serve the country. The political governments come and go, but the establishment stands with the elected government and that is the way it should be. The previously elected governments also completed their five-year terms but their leaders had to depart due to court orders. As for Imran Khan, he is standing firm and not going anywhere. The local bodies elections in Punjab will be held by June this year, which will effectively bring an end to the tenure of the incumbent government, because the last year is usually for the election campaigns. The Imran Khan led PTI government is not under threat and will complete its tenure. He (Imran) enjoys a good working relationship with state institutions.
How do you see Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s performance in the recently held local body elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). What is the reason of Jamiat-e-Ullema Islam’s success in KP local body elections?
SRA: Let me be very clear and admit it openly that Imran Khan led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has not secured votes in the recent KP local bodies elections. But this is democracy that everyone has a fair chance to succeed if the candidates are capable, or fail if they are incapable of making an impact. As far as Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) recent success in the local bodies elections in KP is concerned, it is a fallout of the fresh Taliban takeover of Afghanistan which helped the right-wing party to grab the highest number of seats for mayors and chairmen in 39 tehsils of the province. But JUI-F has not won due to its growing popularity, but it’s a reflection on the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The people on both sides of the border love Islam which is their religion. So, basically, the results of the the local bodies’ polls in fact should be seen in this context.
Do you think the government will overcome rising inflation? How do you see the upcoming mini-budget as opposition parties are making an all out effort to stop it from implementation?
SRA: Mini budget is Prime Minister Imran Khan’s effort to eradicate poverty from the country. He is burning the midnight oil in mitigating the inflation from the country and addressing the issues faced by the poor masses. But let me tell you very frankly, I am hoping that Imran Khan will bring an end to this inflation in the fifth year of his tenure. As far as the mini budget is concerned, regardless of whether the mini budget is presented on the 12th or 15th, it is not going to be a doomsday. The Parliament will approve the mini-budget and there would be no apocalypse. Previously, some of the government’s coalition partners were not happy about the mini-budget. The Federal Cabinet was previously expected to approve the mini-budget bill on Tuesday, but the approval was delayed after Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) expressed some reservations about it. However, now they will support the federal government since the government has successfully persuaded them now.
How do you assess PTI’s performance in its 3-year tenure and what measures can the PTI take in 2022 to regain its credibility and popularity?
SRA: The masses of Pakistan voted for the Imran Khan led PTI government in 2018 general elections because they believe in him and looked up to him for bringing to the book the corrupt elite, the sugar and flour thieves and those who have built palaces in London (through ill-gotten money). And Imran has been diligently working to make it happen. Tell me, was there any trend before in this country to make the big fishes accountable, to bring them to book for their misdeeds? This government has shown the guts to do it and set a precedent that will, to a lege extent, deter the wrong people from indulging in such crimes.
Of course, Pakistan Peoples Party of President Asif Ali Zardari and the Sharif family are corrupt to their core. It is due to their corrupt ways that Pakistan have been accused in one of the world’s biggest corruption cases. This is our misfortune. People may disagree with this government’s reforms and politics, but everyone knows that Imran Khan is a fighter and he would fight against this corrupt leadership until his last breath.
However, I agree with you that we have failed in getting these corrupt elite the sort of punishment they deserve. Unfortunately, the institutions have been rather helpless in front of the formidable, well-connected and deep-rooted mafias. They maneuver things and escape penalties due to their contacts and clout. You also know that law has its own formalities and things are not done overnight. Having said that, Prime Minister Khan is the country’s last hope for bringing justice and fairplay to the masses. Let me tell you again that nothing is about to happen and Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government will complete their five-year tenure by all means. We will contest the next elections with full force under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Is the federal government in contact with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan leadership?
SRA: We (Pakistan government) is in indirect touch with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. But let me clarify that direct communication with the outlawed organisation has not taken place. The government will meet the Taliban government in Afghanistan to discuss the border fencing issue. We want to solve the matter in an inclusive way. It includes a lot of hard work and money. The Pakistan government wants to help the Taliban. They, too, have assured us that Afghanistan’s land won’t ever be used against us. The fencing work along the 2600 kilometers Pak-Afghan border is also ongoing to counter violent acts and infiltration. Pakistan is keen to address the woes of Afghan people and had invited global and Muslim leaders to highlight their humanitarian plights during the OIC summit which was held from December 17-19 in Islamabad.
So do you think the recently held Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit which was held in Pakistan will help in mitigating the current regional crises?
SRA: The conference of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) convened for the first time in 41 years under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s leadership. In Afghanistan, the crisis is posing a humanitarian catastrophe. The OIC Foreign Ministers’ conference which was held in Islamabad recently will surely play a meaningful role in resolving the crisis. The ultimate aim or the objective of the conference was the urgent need to highlight the need for emergency assistance and mobilisation of resources to avert a humanitarian crisis and economic collapse in war-torn Afghanistan. While considering the gravity of the situation, Pakistan led by its visionary leader Imran Khan has made a passionate appeal and is making all out efforts to resolve the crisis.
We have heard that you have recently asked the Pakistan Democratic Movement to change its date of their long march towards Islamabad – from March 23 to March 30. Is it true? If yes, what is the reason for this?
SRA: Yes, it is true I have asked them to move the date of their scheduled protest from March 23 to March 30 in Islamabad as it is Pakistan Day. But let me tell them that by just being adamant to their plan, they will hurt themselves and also force me to enforce the law. But I assure them that no one will resort to any measure if they don’t take the law into their own hands. I also asked them to change the date of their scheduled protest because important dignitaries would visit Pakistan on March 23, hence maintaining law and order will be the utmost priority for us. Also there are major headquarters of corps present at the Grand Trunk Road and war weapons will be moved from the same route for Pakistan Day parade. So it is better for the PDM to review the date of their long march. We will respond to them positively if PDM does not disturb law and order in the federal capital during its demonstration. Lastly, let me tell you that there is no consensus among the opposition parties on the date of the long march and they had announced the anti-inflation march just to gain cheap publicity.
When will you introduce the e-passport system? What will be its benefits?
SRA: We will introduce the e-passport system in early 2022 that will help people avoid the hassle of the manual system. I have already directed the director general of immigration and passports to ensure the launch of the e-passport within the next 100 days. Our directorate is providing the online passport facility to over 190 countries. Likewise, the facility for citizenship cancellation and other services like emergency travelling documents is also available online. I am also asking the government officials in foreign missions who had overstayed to return to the country at the earliest, otherwise, they would be sacked from service.
Do you think that the next general elections will be held using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) or not?
SRA: Let me tell you very clearly that the next general elections, which are scheduled to be held in 2023, would take place using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) as the Parliament has passed the bill. Prime Minister Imran Khan has fulfilled another promise made to the people of Pakistan in his manifesto and during the 2018 general elections with the overseas Pakistanis and they have been given the right to vote (i-Voting) in a historic decision. The EVMs would ensure transparency in elections and it is necessary and need of the hour to guarantee voters’ trust in the electoral system.
Has former CJP Gilgit Baltistan Mr Rana Shamim’s name been placed on Exit Control List?
SRA: We have placed the name of former Gilgit Baltistan Chief Justice Rana Muhammad Shamim on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL), thereby prohibiting him from travelling abroad and his name is placed on the list so that he doesn’t run away.
Why has the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) failed to make an impact or assert pressure on the government?
SRA: As I have been saying for months, PDM is a dead political elephant and the politics of the opposition alliance died the day Taliban took over Afghanistan. Let me tell the opposition parties and request them that the politics of the frog in the well has ended since August 15 (Taliban takeover of Afghanistan) and now politics is happening in deep-sea waters. Look at the changing situation across the world. Of course, inflation is there in Pakistan and I am not one who will deny that inflation is prevalent when I am in front of the camera and acknowledged it in private. I have the guts to say the truth out loud, no matter what. But you have to keep in perspective that coronavirus happened across the globe including Pakistan which crippled the best of economies. And then there were installments to be paid of foreign liabilities. No government in the world wants the inflation to prevail during its tenure.
Thankfully, Pakistan has been saved from sanctions under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s leadership. The PDM used to say in December last year that they will send us packing, but that never happened and we are here today when the year has ended. I had said earlier that the PDM is facing decline with each passing day. It will not be Imran who will go home but it will be the PDM which will be sent packing.
