Rashid vows to free ‘mistakers’ of May 9 riots

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Sunday said that he was now on a mission to get amnesty for those who made the “mistake” of being involved in the May 9 riots.

The former minister took to social microblogging website X to express his gratitude to the nation for its prayers for his safe release after being “missing” for over 40 days.

Rashid added that he does not know where he spent this time but he was not hurt during it.

“Now, my life's mission is to bring amnesty to all those who are missing, have committed the mistake of May 9, and are innocent but imprisoned,” he said, calling upon his followers on X to support him in this peaceful mission.

“I have never appealed to my Twitter [followers] but today I am appealing for the first time to join me in my mission to appeal for amnesty to those who were wronged on May 9,” he wrote.

Rashid said he would begin work on his "mission" from today (Monday), requesting for prayers once again.

“Success will be our destiny and Allah will definitely make us victorious in this mission with the prayers of mothers, sisters, and daughters,” he added.

On Friday, Rashid resurfaced after his reported arrest from a private housing society in Islamabad on Sept 17.

In an interview with a private TV channel, Rashid, who served as the interior minister during the Imran Khan-led PTI government, said that he had gone for a 40-day preach mission (Tableegh).

Rashid stated that he was giving the interview because it had become a tradition now. “I had gone for preaching,” Rashid told the interviewer. “Allah gave me the opportunity to spend 40 days in preaching, and no one harmed me. Everyone cooperated with me and all the days passed smoothly.”

The former minister said that his AML was the smallest political party in the country. However, he stressed: “I belong to my party and will remain so. Neither I am disbanding it [AML] nor am I joining any other party.”

Rashid praised Pakistan Army as the greatest military in the world. He stated that he had been pro-military since day-one, taking the pride in stating that “I am a spokesperson for the Pakistan Army”.

He stressed that politicians must work with the institutions.