Islamabad: Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rashid will be officially charged on March 2 in a case involving claims that the former president Asif Zardari was involved in a murder plot, according to a date set by an Islamabad district and sessions court on Saturday.
While he made accusations against the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman for trying to kill the previous premier, the former interior minister, a close ally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, is now facing serious charges.
The former interior minister must appear on the specified day, the court has instructed.
Rashid submitted a bail petition on Thursday, and the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted him release in the related matter in exchange for surety bonds in the amount of Rs50,000.
In the same case, he was being held at the Adiala Prison on a 14-day court remand.
A challan has also been filed by the police against Rashid.
The AML chief asked the court to establish March 15 as the date for the indictment during the hearing because he had to attend a conference.
The judge then stated that because the high court had issued its directives, the date could not be changed. The court said, “We shall see when the trial begins.
Case involving SHO
Together with his attorney, the leader of the Awami Muslim League (AML) appeared in Omar Shabbir’s court on Saturday. He requested the filing of a complaint against the SHO of the Abpara Police Station for failing to restore his stuff.
The judicial magistrate, however, rejected the request to file a complaint against the SHO, stating that this was beyond of his purview and should instead be brought before the session court.
Rashid stated in his plea, “About 150 to 200 policemen stormed my house,” According to the plea, the police in Islamabad launched a “illegal raid” on his home at 12:30 am on February 2.
The petition read, “The SHO said that he has come to teach me a lesson,” Three cell phones were also taken by the police during the search, it was added.
Also, according to the plea, the police seized Rs300,000, six wristwatches, and the mobile phones of Rashid’s staff.
passwords for smartphones
Rashid asserted that he was put in a death cell, just like Fawad Chaudhry, when speaking to the media following the hearing.
He added, “I will hang myself if any corruption case is proven against me. I was not questioned about the case and was asked to join a new political party.”
The former interior minister stated, “I was asked to give mobile phone passwords, which I gave to them.
Sheikh Rashid criticised the PML-N leadership as well, saying they were flying on the planes of robbers and mafia figures.
the cases
According to the authorities, Rashid was initially detained in connection with accusations made against Zardari. A day later, Murree Police filed a case against him as well.
Ashiq Ali, an investigative officer from the Aabpara Police Station in Islamabad, made the allegation that led to the filing of the FIR. The FIR claims that Rashid warned the police officers and said he would not spare them.
Rashid was accused of meddling in government matters and putting up a fight when he was being arrested in the FIR, which was filed in accordance with Section 154 of the Pakistani Criminal Process Act. According to the FIR, the former minister verbally and physically assaulted the police officers while holding a gun to their heads and threatening them with dire consequences.
His two workers have also been connected to the case in addition to the former minister.
According to the FIR, Rashid emerged from his home with his armed servants when the police arrived and threatened them while resisting their efforts. According to the FIR, he was informed that he had been arrested for violating the Pakistan Criminal Code’s 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting hostility between various groups), and 505 (statements encouraging public mischief) sections.
He then began obstructing the police’s work and interfering with their official business while holding a gun to their heads and threatening them with dire repercussions.
The FIR stated that Rashid abused the police officers, claiming to have served as a minister on numerous occasions and pledging not to spare them. As a result, he broke Sections 506ii (threats to cause death or great bodily harm), 353 (use of force or violence against a public official to prevent him from performing his duties), and 186 (obstructing a public servant from performing his duties).
An FIR was filed against him in a separate incident in Karachi for using “filthy” language against Bilawal. These four PPC 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) — are all covered by the FIR.
In a media interview at the Polyclinic Hospital, the AML leader allegedly said things against party chairman Bilawal that were “highly offensive and disgusting” which caused chaos among thousands of PPP employees, according to the FIR.
A big number of people came to the streets, and I worked hard to stop them, along with other members like Pir Buksh, son of Ali Murad, Muhammad Bux, son of Mola Buksh, and others, according to the FIR.
Additionally, it claimed that the AML leader had consciously planned to undermine the peace, tried to foment violence, and tried to promote unrest.
It stated that Sheikh Rashid should face legal repercussions.
For using “filthy” words against Bilawal, a similar FIR has been lodged in Lasbela against the seasoned lawmaker. Five sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including sections 500 (penalty for defamation), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to incite breach of peace), 153-A (promoting enmity between different communities), and 186, are included in the FIR (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions).
