The Lahore High Court's (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Thursday reserved its verdict on a government intra-court appeal concerning permission for former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad to travel abroad for performing Umrah.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the case was heard by a division bench comprising Justice Jawad Hassan and Justice Tariq Bajwa at the Rawalpindi bench of the court.
Sheikh Rasheed appeared before the bench along with his lawyers, Sardar Abdur Razzaq and Sardar Shehbaz. The court heard detailed arguments from both sides before reserving its verdict, which is expected to be pronounced next week.
Representing the government, Additional Attorney General of Pakistan Haseeb Farooq Pracha presented arguments opposing the travel permission.
Earlier, on February 21, 2026, Sheikh Rasheed had filed an application in an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi seeking permission to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. The application was submitted through his counsel, Sardar Shehbaz Advocate.
The petition stated that the chief of the Awami Muslim League regularly appeared before courts in connection with his cases and had never misused the bail granted to him. It further assured the court that the purpose of travel was solely to perform Umrah and that he would return to Pakistan within the stipulated period.
Later, on February 24, speaking to media outside an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, Rasheed expressed surprise that his name had again been placed on the Exit Control List despite, according to him, not having made any objectionable statements recently.
He had announced that he would approach the high court to seek removal of his name from the ECL, saying his lawyer Sardar Abdur Razzaq would file a petition in this regard and that he would continue his legal and constitutional battle.
Reporter: Irshad Qureshi