An Islamabad district and sessions court on Wednesday granted the Murree police one-day transit remand of Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and PTI ally Sheikh Rashid.
\nRashid was arrested Feb 2 by the Islamabad police for remarks he made against former president Asif Ali Zardari. Later, another case was also registered against him at the Murree police station for manhandling a police official at the time of his arrest.
\nAhead of the hearing today, the former interior minister was brought to the court amid tight security. As the proceeding commenced, Rashid\u2019s lawyers \u2014 Ali Bukhari and Intizar Panjhota \u2014 and the prosecutor presented their arguments.
\nAfter listening to both sides, the court instructed the police to present Rashid before a relevant court in Murree by 2pm tomorrow, Thursday.
\nA video posted on Rashid\u2019s Twitter account showed him talking to reporters outside the court. \u201cAll they want is for me to switch loyalties,\u201d he said ahead of the hearing.
\nAs the hearing concluded, Rashid\u2019s Twitter account posted yet another tweet.
\nHe alleged: \u201cThey have decided to disqualify Imran Khan. They are telling me to leave Imran\u2019s side. I was told that the provincial and central elections would be held together. When anyone comes to meet me, I am blindfolded and my hands are bound. They want to create another party from within the PTI. They did not investigate my cases.\u201d
\nThroughout his incarceration, his account has been continuing to tweet, with posts containing the hashtag #ReleaseSheikhRashid.
\nThe hearing
\nAt the outset of today\u2019s hearing, Rashid came to the rostrum and said that a fake case had been framed against him.
\n\u201cAll these policemen are my brothers,\u201d he proclaimed.
\nRashid said that he had been a minister 16 times in his life, claiming that \u201cthey want to change my political alliances now\u201d. \u201cLast night they asked me to meet an important person but I refused.\u201d
\nHe told the court that he had given his phone\u2019s passwords to the police but they found nothing in it. \u201cI have never fought with the army \u2026 I belong to them.\u201d
\nThe AML chief went on to say that the Murree police investigated him for hours and then alleged that the \u201centire thing\u201d was done by the Aabpara police. \u201cMy police [departments] in Karachi and Lasbela are innocent.\u201d
\nHere, the judge asked the police if a request for Rashid\u2019s transit remand had been made earlier to which the investigating officer said that this was the first time the police had approached court for it.
\nMeanwhile, Rashid\u2019s lawyer, Ali Bukhari, informed the court that he was in currently police custody.
\n\u201cThe Murree police\u2019s request for a transit remand has recently been rejected by the magistrate and the police have not yet appealed that decision,\u201d he stated, reiterating that his client was in jail and wouldn\u2019t \u201crun away\u201d.
\nBukhari contended that the case against his client was registered by the Murree police. \u201cAccording to the law, the complainant cannot be a part of the investigation.
\n\u201cRashid\u2019s house was raided \u2026 the Constitution provides every citizen their fundamental human rights,\u201d he said, continuing that Rashid\u2019s statement regarding being a minister 16 times was harmless.
\nThe lawyer further argued that the relevant judicial magistrate in Murree was on vacation and the police could have waited for him to resume his duties.
\n\u201cWas the Lahore home secretary, Rawalpindi district commissioner or any other authority informed about Rashid\u2019s arrest,\u201d he asked. \u201cWhen they have taken everything from my client\u2019s house, why do they need a transit remand?\u201d
\nBukhari then urged the court to \u201ctake my surety\u201d and reject the police\u2019s request.
\nAt that, the court asked: \u201cDo you have a copy of the court\u2019s verdict rejecting the transit remand?\u201d
\nHere, the investigating officer said that a verbal order was passed and a written verdict was not issued.
\nHowever, Rashid interjected that he had already appeared in the case pertaining to the Murree police. \u201cI was interrogated in jail regarding the case,\u201d he said.
\nMeanwhile, Rashid\u2019s lawyer Panjhota contended that the investigation in the Murree case could also be conducted in the absence of the AML chief.
\n\u201cThe case framed against my client is illegal,\u201d he said, adding that Rashid was an innocent man and the FIR registered against him was a \u201cjoke\u201d.
\nPanjhota further argued that political revenge was being carried out against Rashid, pointing out that cases with similar charges were registered against him in multiple cities.
\n\u201cThey are only trying to mentally torture him. He is being pressurised to change his statement,\u201d he said. \u201cMy client\u2019s life is in danger. If he dies, who will be responsible?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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