Rashid handed over to Murree police on transit remand

A local court in Islamabad on Wednesday handed over Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid to Murree police on a one-day transitory remand in a case registered against him for allegedly threatening and manhandling police officers during a police raid.

According to an FIR registered at the Murree police station, Rashid threatened policemen with dire consequences and assaulted a police constable, ripping his uniform.

Rashid and his employees have been booked under sections 506 Appendix II, 553 and 185 of the PPC in the FIR, which states that he pointed a gun and hurled expletives at the policemen, threatening that he would not spare them.

During the hearing on Wednesday, the former interior minister—who is a close ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)—claimed that a false case had been made against him.

Judicial magistrate Riffat Mehmood inquired if the police had previously requested a transitory remand, to which they replied it was their first time.

Rashid's counsel, Ali Bukhari, opposed the plea for transitory remand and said it had been rejected earlier as the proper procedure was not followed. Bukhari also questioned the police's need for a transitory remand, as they had already recovered everything from Rashid's house and taken his licensed weapons.

The prosecutor told the court that Rashid is on a judicial remand and must be produced before the Murree court, which is why they were seeking the transitory remand.

Prosecutor Adnan, giving arguments on behalf of the police, said that Sheikh Rashid was never presented before the court in the Murree case. He requested the court for granting the transit remand.

Sheikh Rashid's lawyer said that earlier Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir had rejected the plea of Murree police which they did not even challenge. He appealed to the court to reject the transit remand request.

After listening to arguments from both sides, the judge granted police a one-day transitory remand to police. The court also ordered officials to ensure that Rashid is presented before the Murree court by 2 pm on Thursday.

Sheikh Rashid, while leaving the court with the Murree police, told media persons that he was not afraid of anyone. He said that he cherished death and handcuffs and jail was like his in-law's home. He said that he will destroy the government.

Sheikh Rashid said that he will contest by-elections on provincial and national assembly seats at the same time. He said that he was being asked to desert Imran Khan. “I will die but will not leave Imran Khan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2023.