IHC summons SHO with record in Sheikh Rashid arrest case

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday summoned the station house officer (SHO) along with relevant record in former interior minister Sheikh Rashid’s arrest case, local media reported.

The Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who is a close aide of PTI chief Imran Khan, was arrested from his Rawalpindi residence in the early hours of Thursday.

Justice Mahmood Jahangiri was hearing a contempt plea filed by Sheikh Rashid’s nephew in the Islamabad High Court.

At the outset of the hearing, the court asked the applicant to convince the court how contempt was committed by the police. The IHC only cancelled summon notices to Sheikh Rashid, not barred the police from registering a case against him, Justice Jahangiri remarked.

The plaintiff’s lawyer said an impression was given that now the matter was in court, the report had been summoned. Here the people are arrested in separate cases once they get bail in one case, he said.

The IHC bench, while directing the plaintiff’s counsel to convince the court of the contempt proceedings, decided to hear the matter with the main plea.

Further hearing of the case has been adjourned until Monday. Notices have been issued to the AGP and advocate general.

Meanwhile, already named in two cases in Murree and Islamabad, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid found himself in hot waters on Friday when he was booked in another case for using foul language against Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in Karachi.

The former federal minister, according to the first information report, made “immoral” and “nasty” comments which infuriated the public and created a law and order situation in the city.

The FIR has been registered by Karachi’s Mochko Police Station on a complaint from a local Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader.

Sheikh Rashid, who is currently in police custody on a two-day physical remand in a case filed for hurling murder plot allegations at PPP co-chairman, was nominated in a case by Islamabad Police for threatening police personnel on Thursday.

According to sources, a Karachi police team, including the station house officer (SHO) and deputy superintendent of police, has reached Islamabad to take him into custody. The AML chief will be shifted to Karachi today, they said.

The FIR registered against Rashid includes four sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including 500 (Punishment for defamation), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups).

According to the FIR, the AML chief used “highly offensive and disgusting” words against party chairman Bilawal during a media talk at the Polyclinic Hospital, which led to anarchy among thousands of PPP workers.

“A large number of people took to the streets and I, along with other members including Pir Buksh, son of Ali Murad, Muhammad Bux, son of Mola Buksh, and others, tried hard to stop them,” added the FIR.

It also said that the AML chief deliberately conspired to subvert peace, tried to instigate conflict and bloodshed and attempted to spread disorder.

“Legal action should be taken against him (Sheikh Rashid),” it said.