ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has restrained the police from taking action against Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in cases registered in Lasbela and Karachi.
These orders were issued by Islamabad High Court Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri while hearing the petition filed against the registration of the case in Sindh by the former interior minister.
During today’s hearing, Rashid’s counsel told the IHC that the court has stayed further proceedings on the summons issued by Abpara police station. He further said that the police registered a case on the same complaint and arrested his client.
The lawyer also told the court that another First Information Report (FIR) was lodged in Karachi when Sheikh Rashid was in Islamabad police custody.
“If the polyclinic [Islamabad] is where the statement was made, how come the case was registered in Karachi?” Justice Jahangiri questioned.
The court also wondered how multiple FIRs could be registered in different cities on the same incident.
On this, Rashid’s lawyer told the court that a third case was registered against his client in Murree.
Have arrests been made in all three cases? the court asked.
The lawyer told the court that the arrest was made in only one case.
On which Justice Jahangiri remarked that according to the law, arrest in one case is considered as arrest in all cases.
Rashid’s lawyer then told the court that the former interior minister was “tied to a chair for six hours” at an undisclosed location. He also claimed that during this time the AML chief was asked “political questions” and “tortured”.
The court remarked that during Rashid’s tenure, cases were registered against the Information Secretary and the Managing Director of PTV.
“The same thing is happening with you. Think, what would have happened if the lady secretary had taken the information to the police station on Wednesday?” asked the court.
The court restrained the police from taking action against Rashid in the cases registered in Karachi and Lasbela. The court also issued notices to the Bar Councils, Attorney General and Advocate General of Islamabad.
Later, the hearing of the case was adjourned till February 9.
The district court will hear Rashid’s bail application today.
Meanwhile, the post-arrest bail application of the former interior minister will be heard in the District and Sessions Court of Islamabad at 12 noon.
The court fixed 12 o’clock for the hearing on the request of the prosecution.
The AML chief is currently in Adiala jail on 14-day judicial remand.
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. The minister 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
Using abusive language against Bilawal
An FIR has also been registered against Rashid for using ‘dirty’ language against Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in Karachi’s Mochko police station. The case was registered under four sections of the PPC – namely 500 (punishment for defamation), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to incite breach of peace) and 153 -A (promoting enmity between different groups) are included. ).
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, which caused unrest 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 said that legal action should be taken against him (Sheikh Rashid).
In a similar case filed in Balochistan’s Lasbela, Rashid was booked for using “foul” language against Bilawal. The FIR involves five sections of the PPC, namely 500 (punishment for defamation), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to incite breach of peace), 153-A ( promoting enmity between different groups), and 186 (obstructing public servants in the performance of public functions).
