Sh Rashid says Imran Khan’s only demand is free, fair elections
IHC bars LEAs from harassing Rashid, PTI leaders
September 13, 2022 03:02 PM
Former interior minister Sheikh Rashid said on Tuesday all that former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan was asking for free and fair general elections in the country, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Speaking to media outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) where he had gone along with PTI leaders in connection with the hearing of their petitions filed against police harassment in the aftermath of Masjid-i-Nabawi incident and the PTI’s long march on Islamabad, he said Imran was neither harassing the Pakistan Army nor the government. “All that he has been saying all along since the ouster of his government is that free and fair elections should be held in the country at the earliest,” he said, and added, “When the imported government did not find anything against me and PTI leaders, they started registering fake cases against us.”
He went on to add that when some Pakistanis had hooted newly-sworn in members of the coalition government in Medina who had gone there to perform Umrah, he was not there. “I just cannot understand why an FIR was registered against me,” he asked.
Former interior minister said he was pleased that the IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Athar Minallah had today ordered the government to submit record of the cases registered against the opposition leaders. “It is also heartening that the CJ has asked the government to refrain from harassing him as well as PTI leaders,” he added.
Earlier, barring the law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) from harassing Sheikh Rashid and PTI leaders booked in different cases related to the Masjid-i-Nabawi incident and the party’s long march towards Islamabad, the IHC ordered the government to submit details of the cases registered against the applicants.
During the hearing of the petitions filed against harassment by police and other LEAs, IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Athar Minallah remarked, “Don’t resort to routine harassment and intimidation of defendants.”
“Booking people in cases unnecessarily is not appropriate,” he added.
The government and the National Assembly secretary, on the occasion, submitted to the court reports on the nature of cases registered.
Rashid’s counsel, on the occasion, said that different cases were registered against his client following takeover by the coalition government.
The court then adjourned hearing of the case until September 23.
Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani