ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in the federal capital sent Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid, who is a close aide of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PIT) chairman Imran Khan, to 14-day judicial remand.
The former interior minister is facing serious charges as he accused Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari of plotting to kill Khan.
PPP Rawalpindi Division President Raja Inayat-ur-Rehman had registered a case against Rashid in Islamabad’s Abpara police station. The FIR carries three sections – 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505 (statements inciting public disorder).
Islamabad Police produced the AML chief in the court of Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir under tight security on completion of his two-day physical remand.
The former interior minister is also facing charges in Murree and Karachi. A case has been registered against him in Murree for threatening police personnel, while he has been named in two separate FIRs for making “offensive” and “dirty” comments against Foreign Minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. has been entered in
Meanwhile, the district and sessions court will hear the former home minister’s bail plea on Monday (February 6).
Hearing
At the beginning of the hearing, the police requested an extension of Rashid’s physical remand for 5 days.
The investigating officer told the court that the voice matching tests have been done and the photography test is pending.
Meanwhile, Rashid maintained: “It would be better if I were sentenced to death the way the police put [me]”.
He complained that the police blindfolded him and tied him to a chair for hours.
The politician pleaded with the court to order the authorities to take him to the hospital, bandage his injuries and provide him with Rangers security.
On which the court ordered the removal of Rashid.
Meanwhile, Rashid’s lawyer started his arguments saying that the provisions in the case against his client are not valid.
He argued that Rashid was sent to police custody for two days for interrogation but was “tortured at night”.
Later, the court reserved its decision on the request of the police to extend Rashid’s physical remand. He also gave the transcript of Rashid’s interview to his lawyer.
Rashid sought a restraining order.
After the Karachi police registered a second case against Rashid, the former interior minister, through his lawyer Sardar Abdul Razzaq Khan, filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Rashid sought an injunction against the transfer of the federal capital to Karachi.
“The respondents should be restrained from transferring the petitioner from Islamabad to Karachi pending disposal of the constitutional petition immediately,” the petition said.
The petitioner also pleaded with the court to quash the case registered at Islamabad’s Abpara police station as “illegal, illegal and without legal authority” and order the defendants to file further cases against him. be prevented from
Further, the FIRs registered in Murree and Karachi should be “declared to be illegal, illegal, abuse of power and result of abuse of power or in the alternative”.
The petition also requested the court to order the transfer of the case registered in Karachi under Sections 234, 235 and 239 of CrPC to Islamabad where the case is already registered.
Lawsuits against PTI will not improve the economy
PTI leader Faisal Javed Khan while talking to the media in Islamabad said that Rashid is being targeted for raising the voice of the right.
“Filing cases against us will not improve the economy,” he said, adding that he was ready to show solidarity with Rashid.
Javed added that the government offers talks but on the other hand, cases are being framed against PTI leaders and allies.
He said his party has already proposed a solution to the quagmire, which is to “announce an election date”.
The PTI leader said that unemployment and inflation are breaking records today. The only solution is elections.
Apart from this, Javed said that with every passing day, the freedom of press is being restricted and the rights of journalists are being violated.
He added that whoever speaks the truth and exposes the government’s incompetence is threatened.
Cases
According to the police, Rashid was initially arrested in the case of making allegations against Zardari. A day later, the Maury police also registered a case against him.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of the investigating officer Ashiq Ali from Abpara police station in Islamabad. According to the FIR, Rashid threatened the policemen and said that he would not let them go.
The FIR was registered under Section 154 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which charged Rashid with interfering in official affairs and resisting arrest. The FIR states that the former minister physically pushed and abused the policemen and threatened them with dire consequences at gunpoint.
Apart from the former minister, two of his employees have also been implicated in the case.
The FIR stated that when the police reached Rashid’s residence, he came out with his armed servants and resisted the police’s efforts by threatening them. He was informed that he was booked under three sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505 (statements inciting public disorder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
He then started resisting and interfering in the official affairs of the police, while threatening them with dire consequences at gunpoint.
Abusing the policemen, Rashid said that he had been a minister many times and he would not forgive them, read the FIR. Therefore, he charged under Sections 506ii (threat to cause death or grievous hurt), 353 [assault or criminal force to prevent public servant from discharging his duty] and 186 [obstruction of public servant in performance of official duties]. committed a crime
In another case in Karachi for using “foul” language against Bilawal, an FIR has been registered under four sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) – including 500 (punishment for defamation), 506 (criminal intimidation). Penalty of), 504 (willful insult) included. A case was registered under IPC (inciting breach of peace) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups).
According to the FIR, the AML chief used “extremely offensive and hateful” words against party chairman Bilawal during a media talk at the Polyclinic Hospital, causing chaos among thousands of PPP workers.
“A large number of people took to the streets and I, along with other members including Pir Bakhsh son of Ali Murad, Muhammad Bakhsh son of Moola Bakhsh, and others, tried hard to stop them,” the FIR added.
It also said that the AML chief deliberately conspired to disturb the peace, tried to incite conflict and bloodshed and tried to spread unrest.
It says that legal action should be taken against him (Sheikh Rashid).
A similar FIR against Bilawal in Karachi for using “foul” language. The FIR includes five sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including 500 (punishment for defamation), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to incite breach of peace). , including 153-A (promoting enmity between the two). various groups), and 186 (obstructing public servants in the performance of public functions).
