Zardari remarks case
\nAML chief\u2019s lawyer argues that Sheikh Rashid had only agreed with Imran Khan\u2019s statement
\n ISLAMABAD
\nA court in Islamabad has turned down Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed\u2019s post-arrest bail plea in the case registered against him for levelling allegations against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari.
\nThe court had reserved its verdict in the case earlier today after hearing arguments of the prosecution and Rashid\u2019s lawyers and later announced it by rejecting Sheikh\u2019s plea.
\nThe TLTP learnt that at the outset of the hearing, the court asked Rashid\u2019s lawyer whether their stance was that their client was not part of the conspiracy claimed to kill Imran Khan. Sardar Abdul Razzik, Rashid\u2019s counsel, told the court that his client had referred to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson Imran Khan\u2019s statement and was not part of the conspiracy.
\nThe lawyer also contended that the first information report (FIR) of the case was registered two days before Rashid gave the statement. \u201cEven if a murder is committed right in front of the police, the case is not registered this quickly,\u201d said the lawyer. He added that the law enforcement agency carried out the inquiry and registered the case.
\nThe lawyer said that tThe police should have investigated Asif Ali Zardari but the opposite happened. He added that the PTI chair\u2019s statement was based on facts. \u201cThere is a conspiracy to kill Imran Khan for which a case is not being registered. However, a case has been registered for the defamation of Asif Zardari,\u201d said the lawyer.
\nThe counsel also contended that a notice was issued against his client on January 31 but it was never sent to him but was aired on television channels. He added that when the notice was suspended by the high court the next day a case was registered against Rashid. Razzik also told the court that the case was registered on a private complainant\u2019s request not a state officer.
\n\u201cA common citizen, who is a PPP worker, had made allegations against Sheikh Rashid,\u201d said Razzik. He added that the case would have been different had PPP Co-chairperson Asif Zardari filed the complaint. The counsel said that Zardari could have sent defamation notice to Imran Khan for making the allegations. He added that his client had only stated that whatever Imran Khan says is the truth.
\nThe lawyer also contended that during his client\u2019s physical remand the police were not able to find anything. \u201cCase against Sheikh Rashid was only registered to take political revenge,\u201d Razzik told the court. He also claimed that during the search carried out by the police at his client\u2019s home, they took Rs700,000 and valuable items. The lawyer claimed that two bulletproof cars at his client\u2019s home were also impounded.
\n\u201cThere is no need to investigate Sheikh Rashid. The bail plea should be approved. [The] high court in its verdict had also prohibited further action,\u201d said Razik as he wrapped up his argument. Intizar Panjotha, Rashid\u2019s other counsel, told the court that there was no political campaign or untoward incident over his client\u2019s statement.
\nWhile urging the court to accept the bail plea, Panjotha also told the court that the sections added in the FIR against Rashid can only be included if a state officer is the complainant. Once Rashid\u2019s counsel wrapped up their arguments, the judge told the lawyers that their client gave a statement against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah in a hospital and asked whether there was a chance of anarchy spreading in the country due to the statement.
\nAt this, Rashid\u2019s counsel told the court that the Islamabad High Court had suspended the application related to this, adding that the statement came during detention which is why it holds no importance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Zardari remarks case AML chief\u2019s lawyer argues that Sheikh Rashid had only agreed with Imran Khan\u2019s statement ISLAMABAD A court in Islamabad has turned down Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed\u2019s post-arrest bail plea in the case registered against him for levelling allegations against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":312301,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-312454","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n