ISLAMABAD: A local court granted capital’s police two-day physical remand of Awami Muslim League head Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed in case regarding levelling allegations against former President Asif Ali Zardari.

Strongly condemn arrest of Sh Rasheed.Never in our history have we had such a biased, vindictive Caretaker govt appt by totally discredited ECP. Question is can Pak afford a street movement which we are being pushed towards at a time when we have been bankrupted by Imported Govt?

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 1, 2023

Aabpara Police produced Rasheed before judicial magistrate Umar Shabbir amid foolproof security. Outset of hearing, Public Prosecutor Muhammad Adnan read out content of first information report against Sheikh Rasheed. He said that Sheikh Rasheed was creating threats to family of Asif Ali Zardari.

Accused could be awarded seven year jail term along with fine under sections applied in FIR, he said. Prosecutor said that accused had claimed in his statement that former President had hatched conspiracy to murder PTI’s Chief Imran Khan.

میری جان کو شدید خطرات لاحق ہے مجھے صرف اس چیز کی سزا دی جارہی ہے کیونکہ میں عمران خان کے ساتھ چٹان کی طرح کھڑ ہوں اور کھڑ رہوں گا ۔ شیخ رشید کا بیان #SheikhRasheed pic.twitter.com/9LODKMBQb7

— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 2, 2023

Prosecutor said that an attack had already been made on PTI’s Chairman and in this situation accused was trying to create clash between parties of Imran Khan and Asif Ali Zardari. Public prosecutor said that there was threat to lives of Ali Zardari and his family members due to such irresponsible statement.

Swag🔥🔥#ReleaseSheikhRasheed pic.twitter.com/VEKPaKgGR5

— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) February 2, 2023

He prayed court to grant physical remand of accused for investigation and to conduct his voice matching and photogrammetric tests. Sheikh Rasheed said that he had just repeated statement of Imran Khan and admitted it as factual. He said that police had not tortured him during custody but it had taken his mobile phones. Police served had to notice to him as it wanted to arrest him, he added.

تھانہ آبپارہ میں pic.twitter.com/wEm0CFmXrS

— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) February 1, 2023

Sheikh Rasheed’s lawyer Abdul Razzaq Advocate said that FIR was registered against his client last night. He opposed physical remand request and said that IHC had already suspended police notice in this case. He said that his client had not mentioned any political party in his statement.

#ReleaseSheikhRasheed pic.twitter.com/O26E1iXLFn

— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) February 2, 2023

Lawyer said that an activist of PPP was complainant in FIR instead of former President Asif Zardari, adding that only federal government or provincial government get registered case under section-505 and 503. He prayed court to terminate case against his client saying that he had been Minister various times. After listening arguments, court granted police two-day physical remand of accused.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 03 2023

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