On Wednesday, an Islamabad district and sessions court granted the Murree police one-day transit remand of Awami Muslim League (AML) leader and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ally, Sheikh Rashid. The former interior minister was arrested on February 2 for remarks he made against former president Asif Ali Zardari. Subsequently, another case was registered against him in Murree for manhandling a police official during his arrest.
The court hearing was held amid tight security and saw arguments from Rashid’s lawyers and the prosecutor. After hearing both sides, the court instructed the police to present Rashid before a relevant court in Murree by Thursday afternoon.
In a video posted on Rashid’s Twitter account, he can be seen talking to reporters outside the court, alleging that all they want is for him to switch loyalties. He also claimed that they are trying to disqualify Imran Khan, and that they want to create another party within the PTI.
Throughout his incarceration, Rashid’s Twitter account has been active, with tweets containing the hashtag #ReleaseSheikhRashid.