ISLAMABAD:The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the police not to take action against former interior minister and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in the cases registered against him in Karachi and Lasbela district in Balochistan.
Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri of the IHC ordered this while hearing a petition filed by the AML chief against registration of a case against him in Karachi. The court also issued notices to the Attorney General for Pakistan, Advocate General Islamabad and the bar councils. Sheikh Rashid’s lawyer apprised the court that despite court’s restraining orders to Aabpara Police Station on its summons, the Aabpara police registered another case on the same complaint and arrested his client.
He further apprised the court that another first information report (FIR) was registered in Karachi when Sheikh Rashid was in the custody of Islamabad Police. He stated that a third case was registered against his client in Murree. “How multiple FIRs can be registered in different cities on the same case”, Justice Jahangiri wondered.
To a court query, the lawyer stated that arrest of his client has been made in only one case. “As per law, arrest in one case is considered arrest in all cases”, Justice Jahangiri noted. The lawyer contended that his client was tied to a chair for almost six hours at an unidentified location and was asked political questions.
“The same is happening with you”, Justice Jahangiri reminded saying that during the tenure of Sheikh Rashid as interior minister, cases were registered against Information Secretary and PTV’s Managing Director. Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing until February 9.
AML chief, who is also an ally of PTI, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, was arrested on February 2 on a complaint lodged against him at Aabpara police station for claiming that former president Asif Ali Zardari was hatching a plot to assassinate Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan. On February 4, a local court in Islamabad sent Sheikh Rashid on 14-day judicial remand.