RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid was arrested on Tuesday in a case related to the May 9 riots, shortly after he secured bail in 11 other related cases including the GHQ attack case.
The court had reserved judgment on the bail requests of 24 people, including three PTI candidates and Rashid a day earlier.
Besides Rashid, ATC Judge Malik Ijaz Asif also approved interim bail for former deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi and other PTI workers in cases linked to the riots.
Rashid’s bail was subject to the payment of a surety bond worth Rs100,000.
The AML chief’s lawyer, Advocate Sardar Abdul Razzaq, mentioned earlier today that bail was confirmed in two cases, with the decision for the remaining 10 cases expected shortly. Interim bail was anticipated for the remaining cases due to similar allegations and evidence.
Advocate Razzaq expressed confidence in the fairness and independence of the ATC judges, including Judge Ijaz.
During the proceedings, the public prosecutor told the court that the investigation was underway and sought sufficient time. However, the court expressed its displeasure over not presenting the record of the cases and directed the authorities to complete the investigation and submit the record by the next date.
The former interior minister and his nephew were also present in the courtroom. When the prosecutors asked for more time, Rashid came to the rostrum, took out a pocket-sized copy of the Holy Quran and took an oath by saying: “I swear by Almighty Allah that I have nothing to do with the events of May 9.”
The ATC judge remarked that it was not appropriate to give a statement on the Holy Quran in the court. The counsel for the former interior minister adopted the stance that the prosecution had no evidence against his client.
“The names of Sheikh Rashid and Rashid Shafiq were included in these cases without any basis. So far the prosecution has sought time on four occasions but is not ready to present arguments. On every date, a new excuse is made and more respite is taken,” Rashid’s counsel upheld.
Rashid and his nephew Rashid Shafique were implicated in 12 cases connected to the May 9 riots. All ten police stations had requested Rashid’s arrest to complete the investigation.
May 9 riots refer to attacks on state installations last year, following the arrest of the then-PTI chairman Imran Khan in a corruption case. The installations, which were attacked, included the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi corps commander’s house in Lahore.
Previously the cases in which Rashid and his nephew’s interim bails were extended by the court ATC include the GHQ attack, the army museum attack, the intelligence agency office attack and setting a metro bus station on fire. –Agencies
