RAWALPINDI: The mysterious re-emergence of “missing” political leaders in TV interviews continued on Friday when the face of Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed flashed on TV screens after a disappearance of 34 days. In the interview, Mr Rashid kept professing his proximity to the army and said that attempting to block the appointment of Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir was PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s biggest mistake. As with previous interviews of former PTI leaders Usman Dar and Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, Mr Ahmed also denounced the May 9 attacks and called for a general amnesty for all those currently facing trial over the violent protests following Mr Khan’s arrest. Monitoring Desk
Mr Ahmed appeared in the interview a day after the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court ordered police to recover him by Oct 26. He was allegedly picked up from his residence in Rawalpindi on Sept 17, according to his lawyer.
Sitting across from Muneeb Farooq on Samaa TV, the AML chief, who is usually flamboyant and candid in interviews, appeared shaken.
When the host asked about his whereabouts, Mr Rashid said: “Just assume I was on a chilla [with] a tableeghi jamaat (proselytisers). I kept reading the [Holy] Quran during these 40 days.”
When asked why he wanted to give an interview, Mr Ahmed said, “This has become a tradition”.
