Court rejects Karachi Police’s plea for Sheikh Rashid’s transit remand

• Court rejected Karachi Police’s plea for transit remand
• Court was informed that IHC has suspended two FIRs in Karachi and Balochistan
• Court allowed police to investigate Sheikh Rashid in Murree

ISLAMABAD: A judicial magistrate court adjourned the hearing of a bail petition of Awami Muslim League (AML) head Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in a case pertaining to leveling allegations against former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir also accepted the Murree Police’s request to investigate Sheikh Rasheed, while rejecting the plea of Karachi Police for transit remand of the accused in another case.

The prosecutor informed the court that the case record could not be produced as the investigation officer was to attend proceedings in the high court.

He urged the court to adjourn the case for a couple of days as he also needed time for preparation. The court, however, adjourned the case till Tuesday.

Sheikh Rashid’s lawyer Sardar Abdul Razzaq requested the court to allow the legal team to meet his client in jail. He said the family of the accused also wanted to meet him.

Karachi Police’s investigation officer requested the court for the transit remand of the accused. The court asked the police to investigate Sheikh Rashid in jail, noting that the Karachi Police had not completed formalities.

After a break, the court was told that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended the first information reports (FIRs) registered in Balochistan and Karachi.

The court reserved the judgment and announced it later after the submission of the IHC’s written order. The court rejected Karachi Police’s request for the transit remand.

The court instructed the Murree Police to investigate the accused in jail. It also instructed Sheikh Rasheed’s lawyers to approach the Adiala Jail administration for a meeting with the accused.

Earlier today, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the first information reports (FIRs) registered against Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in Mochko and Lasbela.

Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri heard Sheikh Rashid’s petition to stop his transfer to Karachi and to hold contempt of court proceedings against the police.

Sheikh Rashid’s lawyer argued that although the court restrained further action on the summons of the Aabpara police station, the police registered a case and made an arrest on the same application.

The lawyer said another FIR against Sheikh Rashid was registered in Mochko, Karachi. The court inquired how the case was registered in the port city when the statement was given in Islamabad.

The court restrained the police from acting on the FIRs registered against Sheikh Rashid in Mochko, Karachi and Lasbela, Balochistan. The lawyer said that a third FIR was also registered in Murree.

The IHC issued notices to the attorney general, advocate general and bar councils suspending the FIRs registered against the ex-minister in Mochko and Lasbela.

Last week, a case was registered against Sheikh Rashid in Karachi for delivering immoral remarks against Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Karachi police formed a team to take the AML leader into custody.

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