ISLAMABAD: Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, the chairman of the Awami Muslim League (AML) party and ally of former prime minister Imran Khan, has been sentenced to 14 days of judicial remand by a district and sessions court in Islamabad.
He is charged with accusing former president Asif Ali Zardari of plotting to assassinate Khan. The case was filed by Rawalpindi president of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Raja Inayat ur-Rehman, and includes charges of criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between different groups, and statements conducing to public mischief.
During the hearing, the police sought a five-day extension of Ahmad’s physical remand, however, the politician requested the court to take him to a hospital to treat his injuries and provide him with Rangers’ security.
The court reserved its verdict on the police’s request and gave the transcript of Ahmad’s interview to his lawyer, who argued the sections imposed in the case against his client were not valid and that Ahmad was subjected to torture during his police custody.
Ahmad has also filed a plea in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking a restraining order against his transfer from Islamabad to Karachi. The former interior minister has accused the police of keeping him blindfolded and tied to a chair for hours during his two-day physical remand.
During the proceedings, the court ordered to uncuff him and later reserved its verdict on the police’s request for an extension of his physical remand.
Rashid’s lawyer argued the sections imposed in the case against his client were not valid and that Ahmad was subjected to torture during his police custody. The court gave the transcript of his interview to his lawyer.
In his plea to the high court, Rashid requested the court to quash the case against him and restrict the authorities from lodging more cases against him.
He also asked the court to declare the several complaints registered in Murree and Karachi as illegal and shift the case registered in Karachi to Islamabad. The petitioner also sought that the case be declared illegal, unlawful, and without lawful authority.
