ISLAMABAD: Sheikh Rashid, the leader of the Awami Muslim League (AML) and a close ally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PIT) Chairman Imran Khan, has been placed on judicial detention for 14 days by a district and sessions court in the nation’s capital.
As a result of his accusations that Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was involved in an assassination conspiracy against Imran Khan, the former interior minister is now facing serious charges.
Raja Inayat Ur Rehman, the president of the PPP Rawalpindi Division, has reported Rashid to the Aabpara Police Station in Islamabad. The FIR contains three sections: 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting hostility between various groups), and 505 (statements encouraging public harm).
After his two-day physical remand was over, the Islamabad Police brought the AML commander before Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir in the presence of heavy security.
In Muree and Karachi, the former interior minister is also being prosecuted. In addition to being mentioned in two separate FIRs for making “offensive” and “filthy” remarks about PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, he has a case filed against him in Muree for threatening police officers.
In the meantime, on Monday, the district and sessions court will hear the former interior minister’s request for release (February 6).
The cases
Rashid was initially detained, according to the police, in connection with accusations made against Zardari. The Muree Police also filed a case against him a day later.
Ashiq Ali, an investigative officer from the Aabpara police station in Islamabad, filed the FIR after receiving a complaint. According to the FIR, Rashid warned the police officers that he would not spare them.
Rashid was accused of interfering with government business and resisting arrest in the FIR, which was filed in accordance with Section 154 of the Pakistani Criminal Procedure Code. According to the FIR, the former minister physically shoved, verbally abused, and threatened the police officers with dire repercussions while holding a gun to their heads.
Along with the former minister, the investigation also involves his two workers.
According to the FIR, when the police arrived at Rashid’s house, he stepped out with his armed staff and threatened the officers. He also resisted their efforts. According to the FIR, he was informed that he was charged with three offences under the Pakistan Penal Code: 505 (statements encouraging public mischief), 153A (promoting hatred between different communities), and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
After that, he began to oppose the police and meddle in their business while holding a gun to their heads and threatening them with dire repercussions.
An FIR under four sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) — including sections 500 (Punishment for defamation), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) — was filed against him in another case in Karachi for using “filthy” language against Bilawal.
In a media interview at the Polyclinic Hospital, the AML leader allegedly used “very abusive and vile” language against party chairman Bilawal, sparking an uprising among thousands of PPP employees.
