Sheikh Rashid sent on 14-day judicial remand

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in the federal capital has sent Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid — a close aide of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan — on judicial remand for 14 days.

The former interior minister is facing serious charges after he levelled allegations against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for plotting to assassinate Khan.

PPP Rawalpindi Division President Raja Inayat Ur Rehman had filed a case against Rashid at Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station. Three sections — 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) — are included in the FIR.

The Islamabad Police presented the AML chief in the court of Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir amid strict security, upon the completion of his two-day physical remand.

The ex-interior minister is also facing charges in Murree and Karachi. A case has been lodged against him in Murree for threatening police personnel, while he has been named in two separate FIRs for passing “offensive” and “filthy” comments against Foreign Minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

Meanwhile, the district and sessions court will hear the former interior minister’s plea for bail on Monday (February 6).

At the outset of the hearing, the police sought a five-day extension in Rashid’s physical remand.

The investigation officer informed the court that voice-matching tests had been done but the photogrammetry test was left.

Meanwhile, Rashid maintained: “It’d be better I be sentenced to death the way police have kept [me]”. He complained that the police kept him blindfolded and tied to a chair for hours.

The politician pleaded to the court to order the authorities to take him to a hospital to bandage his injuries and put him in Rangers’ security.

At this, the court ordered to uncuff Rashid.

Meanwhile, Rashid’s lawyer started his arguments, saying that the sections imposed in the case against his client weren’t valid.

He argued that Rashid was sent into police custody for two days for investigation but was “tortured at night”.

Later, the court reserved its verdict on the police’s plea for an extension in Rashid’s physical remand. It also gave the transcript of Rashid’s interview to his lawyer.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Saturday filed a plea in Islamabad High Court (IHC) to stop his possible shifting to Karachi from Islamabad, but the Registrar’s Office raised an objection to it.

The plea was filed by Sheikh Rashid through his counsel Sardar Abdul Razzaq Khan. He requested the court to stop his transfer to Karachi until the final verdict of this case. Earlier, the Mochko police booked Sheikh Rashid in a case of using “foul language” against Pakistan Peoples Party chairman and FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.