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ISLAMABAD: A local court in Islamabad has placed Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on two-day physical remand in connection with allegations levelled against former President Asif Ali Zardari.
The Awami Muslim League (AML) head and former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, a close adviser to PTI chief Imran Khan, was arrested in the early hours of Thursday from his Rawalpindi residence.
Rasheed was brought before Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir’s court, where the police asked for an eight-day physical remand. Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir denied the police’s request for an eight-day physical remand and instead approved a two-day physical remand.
As the hearing began, Rasheed informed the court that he had been designated as a federal minister at least 16 times and requested that his handcuffs be removed. The judge then ordered the police to release Rashid from his restraints.
Former Interior Minister Abdul Razzaq’s lawyer opened his arguments by claiming that his client was arrested in a politically motivated prosecution. “The case against Rashid was filed last night at 8 p.m. “The police arrested Rashid in defiance of the high court’s directives,” he told the court.
The prosecutor then informed the court that Sheikh Rasheed attempted to create “threats” for Zardari’s family members by levelling allegations against his client.
Sheikh Rasheed is charged in three sections of the FIR: 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting animosity between different communities), and 505. (Statements conducing to public mischief).
PPP divisional president alleged in the FIR that the AML chief attempted to discredit a former president and pose a “permanent danger” to the PPP co-chairman and his family. Rasheed, according to the FIR, intends to incite a battle between PTI and PPP and undermine the country’s peace.
PPP representative went on to say that the AML chairman claimed to have important information on a “plot” to assassinate PTI chief.
