Taken a backseat on matter of army chief's appointment: Imran Khan

Lahore, Nov 16 (IANS) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday that the party has taken a step back on the issue of the army chief's appointment, media reports said.

The former Premier made the comments while in conversation with senior journalists at his residence in Lahore, the Express Tribune reported.

He also said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif wants an army chief of his choice to be appointed, "who will take care of his cases".

He added that no army chief will ever go against the institution, state or the people, Express Tribune reported.

Regarding the allegations in the Toshakhana case - after a Dubai-based businessperson claimed in an interview to a private TV channel that he had bought some of the state's gifts from Farah Gogi and Shahzad Akbar, the deposed Prime Minister said that he will file a case against the relevant persons in Dubai, London, and Pakistan.

Imran Khan also said that the gifts sold in the Toshakhana case were sold in Islamabad, adding that receipts and dates were in the government's treasury and that the case will be over once evidence is presented, Express Tribune reported.

Talking about relations with the US, the PTI Chairman said that he does not want a fight with the US and wants positive and better relations.

He reiterated that his statement on the "foreign conspiracy narrative" was misrepresented.

He also maintained that a country that does not have rule of law will never progress, adding that only implementation of rule of law could make a nation 'free'.

About talks with the government, the PTI chief said that the party was being approached for negotiations, but "we have asked them to announce the date of elections".