“The interim government showed no interest in such proposals. It remained firmly committed to holding elections and hence did not make any compromise with them,” he said.
However, Asif Mahmood refused to identify who actually constituted this “deep state”. The interim government transferred power five weeks ago, and no other adviser to that administration has yet publicly mentioned any such proposal or the idea of extending his term beyond 2029.
Earlier, on March 10 in Rajshahi, NCP convenor and former interim government advisor Naheed Islam had claimed that a “deep state” was involved in the assassination of Sharif Usman Hadi, although he too did not specify who they (the deep state) were.
The term “deep state” is generally used to describe influential groups that, while operating outside of formal government structures, are able to exert significant influence on state policy and power.
It is not an institutional entity, but rather a concept that is often invoked in political discourse. Asif Mahmood’s comments have brought the issue back into public debate.