Islamabad high court halts legal proceedings against Sheikh Rashid in Karachi, Balochistan

The Islamabad High Court has intervened in the legal proceedings against Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid, stopping the Karachi and Balochistan police from taking any further action on the cases registered against him in both cities.

Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri heard the contempt of court petitions regarding Sheikh Rashid’s arrest and transfer to Karachi on Monday.

During the proceeding, Sheikh Rashid’s counsel claimed that his client was tied to interrogate for six hours at an unknown location, where he was subjected to political questioning and violence.

Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri remarked, “I do not understand over the increasing number of cases against politicians where this process will stop. There were cases of terrorism against the information secretary and Managing Director of PTV, and now the same thing is happening against you.”

Rashid’s counsel also informed the court that a third case had been registered against his client in Murree.

Justice Jahangiri questioned the legality of registering FIRs in different cities for the same incident and stated that the law dictates that an arrest made in one case applies to all related cases.

Following the argument, the court ordered Karachi police and Balochistan police to halt proceedings against Sheikh Rashid.

Afterward, the high court issued notices to the bar councils, attorney general, and advocate general and adjourned the hearing until February 9.