Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rashid was arrested outside a courtroom after his bail application was rejected in connection with the May 9 riots on Tuesday.

Rashid is accused of involvement in the destruction at the Metro bus station on Sixth Road in Rawalpindi and is now being transferred to New Town Police Station. The hearing for riot-related cases has been rescheduled to January 25.

In the General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi granted bail to the former federal minister and other accused, filed against them at RA Bazaar Police Station. In another development, bail was also approved for nominated individuals, including the AML chief, in the May 9 riots that ensued nationwide after the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder.

Prior to this, Sheikh Rashid and other defendants had secured interim bails in 12 out of 13 cases from the ATC in Rawalpindi.