Zardari remarks case: Islamabad court to indict Sheikh Rashid on March 2

A district and sessions court in Islamabad fixed March 2 as the date for indictment of former federal minister Sheikh Rashid in a case relating to his accusations against Zardari for allegedly hatching a plot to kill Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

The Awami Muslim League (AML) chief appeared in the court of judicial magistrate Umar Shabbir along with his lawyer on Saturday. He was seeking the registration of a case against the Abpara police station SHO for not returning his belongings.

Multiple cases were registered against the AML chief after he backed Khan’s allegations that Zardari was plotting to kill the PTI chair. Initially, Rashid, according to the police, was arrested in the case of levelling allegations against Zardari on February 2.

A day later, the Murree Police also registered a case against him. An FIR was also registered against Rashid for using “filthy” language against Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto at the Mochko police station in Karachi. A similar case was also registered against him in Lasbela.

During the proceedings on Saturday, the Islamabad police submitted a challan of the case against Rashid in court.

Judicial magistrate Shabbir remarked that Rashid will be charged in the case on March 2.

He then returned the application for registration of a case against the SHO of the Abpara police station, saying it should be submitted to a sessions court judge as it did not fall under his jurisdiction.

During the hearing, Rashid made a request to attend a conference on March 15.

The court remarked that there are orders from the high court and the police had submitted a challan so it could not give any extensions. "We will see when the trial starts," the court remarked.

The court then ordered Rashid to ensure his presence before it on March 2.

After the court appearance, Sheikh Rashid slammed the PML-N leadership, claiming they were using planes of plunderers and mafia people.

"I was asked to share passwords of mobile phones, which I gave to them," the former interior minister said.

On February 16, the AML chief was released from the Adiala jail, after securing bail from the Islamabad High Court (IHC), more than two weeks after he was arrested by the Islamabad police for making allegations against Zardari.