The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted bail to Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed against surety bonds of Rs50,000 in a case pertaining to levelling allegations against former president Asif Ali Zardari of plotting to kill former premier Imran Khan.
The former interior minister had approached the IHC for bail in the case. Sheikh Rasheed is currently in Adiala jail on judicial remand.
During today's hearing, Sheikh Rasheed’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, told the court that his client was seeking post-arrest bail. He added that the additional sessions judge rejected the bail plea in the case filed on just one allegation.
What was the accusation, asked the court. The lawyer responded that the court, while rejecting the bail, said it feared that Rasheed, after being released, may repeat such remarks again.
When Rasheed’s lawyer concluded his arguments, Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Jadoon came to the rostrum and contended that Rasheed was a senior politician and his statements should have been parliamentary. He told the court that the former minister had also abused Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
During the hearing, the police investigating officer told the court that police had obtained details of Sheikh Rasheed's statement from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
The officer said that AML chief Sheikh Rasheed, during interrogation, had stated that he had obtained this information from PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
However, he added that when Sheikh Rasheed was interrogated, they were unable to obtain any evidence from him of Zardari's alleged plot to kill Imran Khan.
IHC then reserved lower court's verdict in the case.
AML chief Sheikh Rasheed is also booked in two other cases for using "filthy" language against Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto.
These FIRs were lodged in Karachi and Lasbela. The court had stopped the police from arresting him in those cases.
The former interior minister had approached the IHC for bail in the case. Sheikh Rasheed is currently in Adiala jail on judicial remand.
During today's hearing, Sheikh Rasheed’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, told the court that his client was seeking post-arrest bail. He added that the additional sessions judge rejected the bail plea in the case filed on just one allegation.
What was the accusation, asked the court. The lawyer responded that the court, while rejecting the bail, said it feared that Rasheed, after being released, may repeat such remarks again.
When Rasheed’s lawyer concluded his arguments, Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Jadoon came to the rostrum and contended that Rasheed was a senior politician and his statements should have been parliamentary. He told the court that the former minister had also abused Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
During the hearing, the police investigating officer told the court that police had obtained details of Sheikh Rasheed's statement from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
The officer said that AML chief Sheikh Rasheed, during interrogation, had stated that he had obtained this information from PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
However, he added that when Sheikh Rasheed was interrogated, they were unable to obtain any evidence from him of Zardari's alleged plot to kill Imran Khan.
IHC then reserved lower court's verdict in the case.
AML chief Sheikh Rasheed is also booked in two other cases for using "filthy" language against Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto.
These FIRs were lodged in Karachi and Lasbela. The court had stopped the police from arresting him in those cases.