Daily Times

The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Monday directed authorities to produce former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed ‘within a week’. During the hearing last week, the LHC had given Rawalpindi police a “last chance” to recover the Awami Muslim League (AML) chief. The hearing was presided over by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and Rashid’s counsel and Regional Police Officer (RPO) Syed Khurram Ali were present. The police officer also submitted an investigation report in court. Rejecting the report, the court ordered the RPO to recover the PTI ally within a week or else a case would be registered against all officers involved. “You have crossed your limit. A case will be registered against the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and four Station House Officers (SHOs) responsible for Rashid’s arrest,” said the judge. Judge Sadaqat also sought affidavits from Rashid’s lawyers regarding his arrest. The counsel claimed that there is video evidence of their client being arrested from his house and then being transferred to an intelligence office located in the area of Golra Sharif. The LHC also sought videos of Rashid’s transfer to the intelligence office. On the other hand, Rashid’s nephew Sheikh Shakir and employee Sheikh Imran, who were arrested along with him, have been released. Last week, LHC had expressed its displeasure over the detention of the former interior minister and had given authorities a “last chance” to recover the PTI ally by October 2. “In failing to do so, strict action will be taken against the force.”

Justice Sadaqat, from the Rawalpindi bench of LHC, had reprimanded the RPO for failing to recover the veteran politician.

Rashid was at his home in a private housing society on the outskirts of Islamabad on Sept 17 when purported Rawalpindi Police personnel and some officials in plain clothes, raided the residence and detained him and three others. However, in a statement issued later that night, a spokesperson of the Rawalpindi Police denied the arrest and claimed Rashid was not in their custody. He has been missing since.

He further said he had the ETPB’s responses “ready” and would submit them by next week. Subsequently, the court ordered the AAG to submit all responses before the next hearing, which will be held on October 11.