Man behind sedition FIR himself a ‘history-sheeter’

LAHORE: Badar Rasheed, the man behind the sedition case against Nawaz Sharif and other PML-N leaders, is himself a history-sheeter, according to the police record.

He has a criminal record, including an attempted murder charge, with cases registered against him at various police stations of Lahore. The police said that Badar had cases of attempted murder, illegal weapons and interference in government matters, lodged against him. Interestingly, the attempted murder case had been registered with the Shahdara police station, where the sedition case was lodged.

Also, an illegal weapons case had been registered with the Sharqpur police station, whereas a case of interference in government matters and a scuffle with police had been registered at the Old Anarkali police station.

The police confirmed that Badar had also been arrested in some cases. He also contested an election for a union council chairman’s post on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ticket.

Meanwhile, pictures of Badar Rasheed with Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar also emerged on Tuesday. It was reported that he was the president of PTI youth wing in Ravi Town.

A Geo News correspondent visited his residence in Lahore on Tuesday where he was informed that Badar Rasheed had not returned home since yesterday and the family was unaware of his whereabouts.

They also refused to talk to the media regarding the matter. Meanwhile, Lahore police clarified on Tuesday that the case against Nawaz Sharif was not filed on behalf of the state.

A spokesman for Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore clarified that the FIR registered at Shahdara police station was not registered on the complaint of state or any state institution, but that of a citizen, Badar Rasheed. He said different speculations were being made in the media about the FIR. He said the investigation of case was being conducted on merit and action would be taken against those who would be found guilty. Merit will be ensured in the case, he added.

The clarification from the police came after Prime Minister Imran Khan's "extreme disappointment" over the development and strong reaction from the opposition parties. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Punjab spokesperson and a member of the Punjab Assembly Azma Bukhari said a sedition case against Nawaz Sharif and other party leaders could not be registered without approval of the federal government.

Talking to the media here on Tuesday, she said now the government wanted to get rid of the situation arising out of registration of the FIR. She said the complainant in the sedition FIR [first information report], lodged against 40 PML-N leaders including the party supremo Nawaz Sharif, was himself nominated in 15 different criminal cases.

Azma said Badar Rasheed was also close to the Punjab governor. She said he also nominated three former generals and the prime minister of Azad Kashmir in the case. She questioned that how come criminals and fugitives could call others traitors?

She said Badar Rasheed was the information secretary of the PTI labour wing while his brother has been a member of the foundation of governor's wife. She said “if you don't have the courage, why do you initiate such things?” She said the PMLN leadership was considering the case as a medal while the complainants were running away from it.

She said complainant’s mobile phone should be audited to find out at whose behest he filed the case. “We apologise to Kashmiris for calling their prime minister a traitor,” she said and added that India was happy with such steps of the present government.

“We civilians are traitors but three retired generals have also been declared traitors. Raja Farooq Haider is Nawaz Sharif's lion who is ready to be arrested at any time. The government is also facing international scrutiny over the case,” she added.

The PML-N information secretary alleged that specific clauses in the FIR were added on the orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan. “No police officer can insert such clauses in the FIR without the consent of the government,” she added.

PML-N on Tuesday accused Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar of having a hand in the criminal conspiracy case filed against party supremo Nawaz Sharif. Azma alleged that the case had been registered at the behest of the governor, adding that Mohammad Sarwar was a Centre's representative in Punjab.

She said the complainant had been seen in photos alongside Chaudhry Sarwar, Sheikh Rashid and Ijaz Chaudhry. She said that Fawad Chaudhry was shedding “crocodile’s tears” to claim that the prime minister had no knowledge about the FIR.

“Imran Sahib, if you do not know about the orders and powers of the executive, then why you are in the Prime Minister's House?” asked Bukhari. On the other hand, Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said the sedition case against the PML-N leaders had nothing to do with him as well as the PTI government.

While talking to the media after addressing two different events on Tuesday, he clarified his position over the allegations of links with Badar Rasheed. The governor, while commenting on the issue, said that it was necessary to investigate why and who registered the case. 'I think this case should not have been registered. Prime Minister Imran Khan has also expressed his displeasure over this case,” added Sarwar.

There are pictures of Badar Rasheed with the PML-N and other people because he keeps changing parties, claimed the governor. He said it was unfortunate that he was alleged to have involvement in a case of mutiny against the PML-N leaders.

“Political members and other people come to meet me in the Governor's House. If a person files a lawsuit against someone, it does not mean that I am behind it.” Replying to a question, Governor Chaudhry Sarwar said, "I have never called anyone a traitor in my life and I do not believe in filing cases against political opponents.

“I want to make it clear that we have nothing to do with this case. I challenge the accusers to prove that the case was filed by the PTI government. The fact is that the PTI government has nothing to do with the case against the PML-N leaders.

"The allegation against me that I filed the case is highly regrettable," said Sarwar. Addressing the event, Ch Sarwar said extremism and sectarianism had created an environment due to which mutual tolerance was declining. It is a challenge for our universities that we do not have the ambience of tolerance for difference of opinion.

Sarwar said that in Pakistan "everything is unique". He stressed the need to develop a strategy to "better control social media". Also, PTI Punjab President Ijaz Chaudhry also distanced the party from Badar Rasheed and said that he had no association with them. He added that PTI did not have any youth wing.