Islamabad court grants two-day physical remand of Sh Rashid

AML leader taken to Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station after arrest: Sheikh Rashid says his life is in danger, hints at filing contempt petition in Supreme Court: Imran Khan strongly condemns arrest: Sh Rashid taken to Poly Clinic again for treatment: AML chief misbehaves with SHO: Rana Sana says govt has no role in arrest of AML chief

By: News Desk
Published: 08:31 AM, 2 Feb, 2023
Islamabad court grants two-day physical remand of Sh Rashid
Caption: Sheikh Rashid smoking a cigar at Aabpara police station in Islamabad after his arrest.
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A local court in Islamabad on Thursday granted two days physical remand of Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

Judicial magistrate Umar Shabir announced the verdict he had reserved earlier in the day.

Earlier, the AML chief was brought to court in an armoured vehicle. He was brought to court amid rush of people. He was presented in the court of a judicial magistrate. He was produced before court hand-cuffed. When the police were taking AML chief to court room, due to rush of people, he fell down. Policemen helped Sh Rashid to stand up. 

His medical tests were also conducted at Poly Clinic Hospital.

Earlier, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was arrested and taken to the Aabpara Police Station in Islamabad in the wee hours of Thursday.

The dramatic development came after the Islamabad Capital police issued a final warning to the AML leader to appear before it over a complaint lodged against him.

There were reports that Sheikh Rashid was arrested from his residence, but other reports suggested that he was arrested from the Murree Motorway.

Sheikh Rashid also shared his picture on his Twitter account in which he can be seen sitting in the Abpara Police Station, Islamabad in a happy mood and smoking cigar.

Sheikh Rashid complains of sickness

Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was moved to Poly Clinic Hospital for different medical tests after he complained of sickness, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday. 

The Awami Muslim League chief was brought to Poly Clinic Hospital in an armoured vehicle. Doctors will conduct different tests of the AML leader. 

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Rashid said he had been brought to Poly Clinic for the second time. He complained that police had kept him in cold the whole night. 

He said it was political death of Nawaz Sharif. “They are fearing that they have few days in government now.”

He further said that days of Shehbaz Sharif had been numbered. 

AML chief misbehaves with police officer

Meanwhile, at the time of boarding the armoured vehicle, Sheikh Rashid misbehaved with police officer. He asked the SHO in a rough tone to get away from his path

Rana Sana: No govt role in Rashid’s arrest

Separately, in a statement, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that legal progress was ongoing. He said law enforcement agencies had not shown 15 Kg heroine in Sh Rashid’s possession. He claimed that government had no role in arrest of the AML chief. “A political juggler is trying to give political colour to his arrest.” 

Sanaullah said the law had taken its course and ribs of no one had been broken. The man who used to misbehave with policemen in front of media persons was now telling a lie that he was beaten up. 

“When someone breaks law, it is duty of police force to take legal action,” he added. The police had not kidnapped him like Tayyaba Gull and neither he was locked up in washroom like Bashir Memon, Rana Sana said. 

If his hands are clean, he should face court and prove his innocence. Law of the land equally applies on everyone. If he violates law, he will have to be answerable for that. People who used to blame opponents for having links with murderers and terrorist organisations, should now answer for their own deeds. 

Sana said during the four-year PTI regime of Imran Niazi, many journalists were shot at, their ribs were broken and false cases were registered against them. These people abuse every institution which holds them accountable for their misdeeds. 

’Life in danger’

Talking to newsmen outside Polyclinic Hospital where he was taken by the police for a medical check-up after his arrest Thursday morning, Sheikh Rashid, a close aide of PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan, said his life was in danger.

Sheikh Rashid also hinted at filing a contempt of court petition in Supreme Court of Pakistan as he was arrested by police despite the fact that a court granted him bail and ordered the inspector-general of police to appear before the court on February 6.

After the medical test, the AML leader was shifted to Secretariat Police Station, Islamabad. The AML chief is expected to be produced before a magistrate later in the day.

Sheikh Rashid booked under three sections

Former federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was booked under three different provisions.

Two of the provisions were non-bailable and one bailable.

Section 120 is for hate speech, and it is punishable by six months or fine.

Section 153A is for sedition, and it is punishable by five years. Section 153A is a non-bailable section.

Section 505 is for inciting the public, and it is punishable by seven years. Section 505 is also a non-bailable section.

Earlier, the police shifted Sheikh Rashid to Abpara Police Station after his arrest where an FIR (First Information Report) was registered against him on complaint of Raja Inayat Rehman, the vice president of PPP’s Rawalpindi division for accusing former president Asif Ali Zardari of plotting the assassination of PTI chief Imran Khan.

Talking to media after the arrest, Sheikh Rashid said that hundreds of police officials barged into his house on in the wee hours of Thursday without any warrants and arrested him. He also alleged that police have beaten his servants and broken the doors and windows of his house. He said an FIR has also filed against him after the arrest. He also alleged that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was behind his arrest.

Sheikh Rashid's nephew also confirmed his arrest, stating that they will challenge his uncle's arrest in court. He said about 400 policemen barged into his house and arrested him despite the AML getting relief from the Islamabad High Court.

Imran Khan slams Sheikh Rashid’s arrest

PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan while strongly condemning Sheikh Rashid’s arrest said "Never in our history have we had such a biased, vindictive govt appointed by totally discredited Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)."

In a tweet uploaded after Sheikh Rashid’s arrest, he questioned if Pakistan could "afford a street movement which we are being pushed towards".

In a video message on Wednesday evening before the arrest, Sheikh Rashid had stated that the court had already instructed that this police "notice be withdrawn".

Later that same day, the Islamabad Capital Police tweeted that the "Supreme Court has ordered the senior law officer to appear, and that the matter is under hearing in the court, so no opinion can be given".

"The order of the court is clear so avoid arbitrary interpretation. The concerned persons are requested not to distort the facts," it tweeted.

The police complaint was lodged with senior superintendent of police (Operations) Islamabad and then forwarded to Aabpara police station for further action.

In response, the former minister was called by Aabpara police on Monday and Tuesday. However, both times, he did not appear before the police, they said, adding that now the police have asked Sheikh Rashid to appear before them on Wednesday.

"Sheikh Rashid Ahmed is not cooperating with the police inquiry," the ICT Police wrote on its Twitter account on Tuesday (January 31).

Complaint against AML leader

Media reports stated earlier that the police acted after Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Rawalpindi Division Vice President Raja Inayat-ur-Rehman filed a case against the former federal minister in Islamabad's Aabpara police station.

The case was over hurling allegations at former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari for hatching a plot to assassinate PTI chief Imran Khan.

The case was filed with SSP Operations Islamabad, and stated that Sheikh Rashid, in an interview on a news channel that aired on January 27, alleged that Asif Zardari got assistance of some terrorist to kill Imran Khan while talking about a conspiracy.

The complaint added that the statement was made as part of a conspiracy to defame Zardari and create a permanent threat for his family.

However, Sheikh Rashid said that he had said on different TV channels that the government wished to "minus" Imran. "I was interviewed on various TV channels where I said they (the federal government) wanted to disqualify Imran, minus Imran.

"Imran stated that Asif Zardari wanted to take his life. Zardari is not ready to contest elections with Imran."

Reporters Kifayat Ali Shah and Farzana Siddique

Categories : Featured News, Pakistan
News Desk

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