Tag: Sheikh Rasheed

  • ‘Interviews have begun for technocratic setup,’ Sheikh Rasheed claims

    ‘Interviews have begun for technocratic setup,’ Sheikh Rasheed claims

    Former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has claimed that a technocratic setup may take over by September 20 this year because “interviews have begun.”

    Rasheed, while talking to the media outside Adiala Jail, lamented, “It has been two years and 14 cases have been filed against me, but I’ve received no challans yet.”

    The former Interior Minister described his feelings saying, “They said I’ve lost 40kg weight. I never thought the Gate No 4 people would pick me up. The police took our women’s jewellery, my watches and shoes too.”

    He requested the people with whom he had a “decades long relation” and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir to declare amnesty.

    Sheikh Rasheed further stated, “August 31 is significant; the government is packing its bags. Technocratic government can come by September 20, and whatever happens, it will be bad.”

  • ‘Judge who is affected by criticism on social media violates his oath’: Justice Athar Minallah

    ‘Judge who is affected by criticism on social media violates his oath’: Justice Athar Minallah

    Supreme Court Justice Athar Minallah, addressed a seminar on the significance of freedom of expression on Saturday, shedding light on its historical context and impact on Pakistan’s trajectory.

    The seminar, a part of the second law bridge workshop on superior court reporting, provided a platform for Justice Minallah to share his insights on the intersection of freedom of expression and judicial independence.

    Expressing his concern over the potential influence of social media on judicial decision-making, Justice Minallah asserted the importance of maintaining judicial independence, stating that any judge swayed by social media violates his/her oath and called upon fellow jurists to remain resolute in upholding justice despite external pressures.

    Addressing the delicate balance between constructive criticism and trust in the judiciary, Justice Minallah emphasized that critics should retain faith in the legal system, considering it a litmus test for its strength.

    He welcomed constructive criticism while underscoring the need to strike a balance in fostering trust in the judiciary.

    Reflecting on the challenges of freedom of speech in the country, the Chief Justice traced the roots of censorship to historical actions following Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s speech on August 11, 1947. He stressed the necessity of balancing freedom of expression with responsible reporting to navigate these challenges.

    Sharing a personal anecdote from his early days as a judge, Justice Minallah recounted a case involving a 16-year-old accused of displaying a banner against a senior apex court judge.

    He highlighted the importance of judiciously addressing such incidents and cautioned against making blanket judgments without thorough investigations.

    “When the matter of the 18th constitutional amendment was raised, many forces were against it. A reporter asked me, what will the Supreme Court do about the 18th Amendment. I replied ‘In my opinion, the SC should not interfere in the constitutional amendment’,” he said.

    The apex court judge said he had said he would resign if the 18th amendment was annulled and the next day news was published that “Athar Minallah has threatened the court”.

    Citing former Ugandan president and the modern world history’s most brutal dictator, Idi Amin, Justice Minallah said, “A society is ruined, if someone gags freedom of expression like Idi Amin.”

  • PTI yet to finalise candidates from 34 NA constituencies

    PTI yet to finalise candidates from 34 NA constituencies

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a list of its candidates for National Assembly (NA) seats for the upcoming general elections, set to take place on February 8, 2024.

    The former ruling party has opted to nominate candidates from all 266 national assembly seats throughout Pakistan. Nonetheless, numerous constituencies have been labelled as ‘pending’, primarily due to disagreements in candidate selection.

    In all, the naming of candidates in at least 34 NA constituencies is pending, including from Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Kasur, Khanewal, Sahiwal, and Pakpattan.

    Former prime minister and founder of PTI, Imran Khan, is currently in Adiala jail after being convicted in the Toshakhana case. His nomination papers have been rejected.

    Surprisingly, PTI has nominated candidates to compete against its former close ally Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, and his nephew, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq.

    PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan is a candidate from NA-10 Buner-I, while Omar Ayub Khan is contesting from NA-18, Haripur.

  • Sheikh Rashid’s bail gets extended

    Sheikh Rashid’s bail gets extended

    An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has granted an extension to the interim bail of former federal minister Sheikh Rashid in connection with 10 cases related to the May 9 riots.

    The bail has now been extended until December 9, following a hearing presided over by ATC Judge Malik Ejaz Asif.

    During the proceedings, the court adjourned the hearing at the request of the public prosecutor, instructing both sides to present their arguments in the upcoming session.

    Addressing the court, Rashid asserted that although there are a dozen cases against him related to the May 9 riots, he was not personally present at any of the locations in question.

    After the hearing, while speaking to the media, Rashid urged those responsible to focus on the country’s declining economic conditions and added that the people are concerned with inflation and not elections.

    Referring to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s return, the Awami Muslim League (AML) leader said that elections are “imminent”.

    On election day, people roaming in Murree “will face the music,” he said.

  • ‘Last chance’ given by Lahore High Court to recover Sheikh Rasheed

    ‘Last chance’ given by Lahore High Court to recover Sheikh Rasheed

    Awami Muslim League leader and former federal interior minister, Sheikh Rasheed, was arrested from his house in Rawalpindi last month. On Thursday, the Lahore High Court gave the police one more week to find him.

    At today’s hearing, RPO Rawalpindi Syed Khurram Ali and CPO Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani appeared before the court, seeking more time for recovering Sheikh Rasheed.

    “How much more time do you need for recovery, what have you done so far,” the court asked the cops. The RPO Rawalpindi said the officers responsible for the arrest were not present in the area on that day.

    “We need a bit more time for recovery,’ the RPO informed the court.

    “We are giving you a week’s time as the last chance to recover Sheikh Rasheed else the court will pass an order with a warning,” was the reply.

    The hearing was then adjourned until October 27.

  • The OG Pindi Boy Sheikh Rasheed ka new career?

    The OG Pindi Boy Sheikh Rasheed ka new career?

    Agar politics mein ziada maza nahi a raha, then every one should follow the start of Sheikh Rasheed’s rap career with the Pindi Boyz.

    The famous Rawalpindi politician set social media ablaze when he made an appearance in the rap group’s latest song ‘Pindi Aye 2.0’ in the begining. He can be seen sitting lazily on a sofa and puffing a cigar, while handing a black dossier to members of the band.

    The band, comprising of Hashim Nawaz, Zeeru, Hamzee, Shuja Shah, Usman Ghauri, OCL and Khawar Malik, gained fame on social media with their song ‘Pind Aye’ which has received 20+ million views on Youtube.

    On the surprise inclusion of the OG Pindi boy, Karamat told Dawn Images that it had taken them three years to convince the politician to agree to appear in their video. After chasing Rasheed for two months, the gang went to visit him at his house on the third day of Eid in order to shoot the intro.

    The group recalled spending two and a half hours with Rasheed, calling him very cool and laidback::

    “It was very chill, very laidback. He was like one of us,” Karamat revealed.

    The group also recalled how they asked Rasheed to just be himself, since he is known for his street smart style which is quite different from the the rest of the politicians. “Political stuff aside, he looked like Nick Fury while handing us the dossier,” Karamat remarked.

  • Sheikh Rashid to be formally charged on March 2 in Zardari allegations case

    Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid will be formally charged on March 2 by a district and sessions court in Islamabad for accusing former President Asif Ali Zardari of plotting an assassination attempt on Imran Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    The court has also ordered that the former interior minister’s appears before the judge on the said date.

    Rashid requested the court to set March 15 as the date for indictment. However, the judge said that the high court has given its orders and the date cannot be extended.

    Court grants bail to Sheikh Rasheed in Zardari remarks case

    On Thursday, Rashid was granted bail in this case by Islamabad High Court (IHC).

    The high court approved his application and passed an order to submit surety bonds worth Rs50,000.

    Earlier, a district and sessions court of Islamabad rejected his bail, after which he approached the high court.

    In the early hours of February 2, Rashid was arrested from his home in Islamabad and was later handed over to police on a two-day physical remand.

    Rashid was also booked in another case in Karachi for allegedly using inappropriate language against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

  • Sheikh Rasheed booked in another case for speaking against Bilawal

    Sheikh Rasheed booked in another case for speaking against Bilawal

    Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief and Former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has been booked in another case in Karachi for allegedly using inappropriate language against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

    On Thursday, Rasheed was handed over on a two-day physical remand for accusing former President Asif Ali Zardari of plotting an assassination attempt on Imran Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    In the early hours of February 2, Rasheed was arrested from his home in Islamabad.

    Islamabad court grants 2-day physical remand of Sheikh Rasheed

    An Islamabad court on Thursday granted police two-day physical remand of Ahmed, hours after the politicians was arrested in connection with remarks he made against Zardari.

    ‘My crime is that I’m standing with Khan’: Rasheed arrested for levelling allegations against Zardari

    Rasheed was arrested late last night after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Rawalpindi Division President Raja Inayat Ur Rehman filed a case against him in Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station for alleging that Zardari was hatching a plot to assassinate the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan.

    The FIR said that Rasheed’s allegations were designed to get PTI and the PPP to fight each other, disrupting the country’s peace.

    Three sections — 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) — have been added to the FIR.

    Talking to the media after his arrest, Rasheed said he feared for his life.

    “My crime is that I’m standing with Imran Khan,” he said at the Polyclinic hospital in Islamabad, where he was taken for a medical checkup.

    “I have been a minister 16 times. Never for a single time, I have been charged with corruption in these ministries,” he added.

    Rasheed alleged that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah is behind his arrest.

    Former Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the arrest of his close aide and blamed the interim Punjab government — Moshin Naqvi — of being biased.

    “Question is can Pak afford a street movement which we are being pushed towards at a time when Imported Govt has bankrupted us?” he asked.

    Khan in January alleged that Zardari was hatching as well as financing a plot to assassinate him, for which the ex-president had hired “terrorists”.

    “…there’s a Plan C. Asif Zardari is behind it. He has amassed a lot of money through corruption and he has invested that money in terrorists and hired a militant organisation,” the PTI chief had alleged. However, the PPP strongly denied the claim and served a legal notice to Khan.

  • ‘I have seen people crying for Pakistan at Khana Kaaba’: Sheikh Rasheed breaks down

    ‘I have seen people crying for Pakistan at Khana Kaaba’: Sheikh Rasheed breaks down

    Former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that he saw people crying for Pakistan at Khana Kaaba in Makkah. He broke down while narrating the story on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’.

    “I have seen people crying for Pakistan in Hateem [a low wall originally part of the Kaaba]. People were screaming and crying under the door of the Khana Kaaba. This shows the pain people are carrying in their hearts for Pakistan,” said Rasheed.

    Talking about general elections, Rasheed said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government also thought that its government would complete its tenure but “people pulled the carpet from under their feet”.

    He also said that the sitting government will not do well in the upcoming elections. “All the sitting government is trying to do is cling to power. They will be terribly defeated by Imran Khan.”

  • Sheikh Rasheed ne Rawalpindi ko Los Angeles bana diya

    Sheikh Rasheed ne Rawalpindi ko Los Angeles bana diya

    Former interior minister and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed on Sunday posted a video of an aerial view of a double-carriage road jammed with cars on both sides.

    Sheikh Rasheed posted the video on his Twitter handle, claiming that it showed traffic gridlocked during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s power show held in Rawalpindi on November 26. The video clip had a PTI anthem as the background which made it appear as if the clip was an aerial shot of the PTI’s march to Rawalpindi.

    However, the claim is wrong, as the shared visuals are actually of a traffic jam in Los Angeles, California. This clip was first shared back in 2017 as part of live coverage by US broadcaster ABC News.

    Following this blunder, Twitterati not only corrected the senior politician but also relished in the chance to mock him.

    This is not the first time that a fake video/picture of PTI’s rally has been posted.

    Earlier, PTI leader Qasim Suri shared a fake screenshot of CNN, claiming it was covering Imran Khan’s rally in Haripur.

    In April, PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan also shared fake visuals claiming to show a photo from the United States (US) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), stating that it was from the party’s rally.

    The picture shared by Ali actually shows the lights in the Iberian Peninsula, which falls in-between Spain and Portugal.