ISLAMABAD, Feb 16 (APP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday granted post-arrest bail to Awami Muslim League (AML)’s head Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed in an FIR registered against him by the capital’s police for levelling allegations against former president Asif Ali Zardari.
The court accepted the bail petition of the accused against surety bonds worth Rs 50,000.
Justice Mohsin Akhter Kayani of IHC heard the appeal of the former interior minister against the decision of a lower court which rejected his bail plea.
At the outset of the hearing, Advocate General Islamabad Jahangir Jadoon said Sheikh Rasheed had never denied his statement and he was still repeating it. He said the accused had been a member of Parliament and such an irresponsible statement was unexpected from him.
The advocate general said on one side the accused had been saying that he was a senior politician but on the other hand he was alleging Asif Ali Zardari for getting the services of terrorists. The accused had used abusive words for the interior minister, and foreign minister which couldn’t be even repeated in court.
Jahangir Jadoon said the freedom of expression had also some limitations. Being a senior politician, Sheikh Rasheed should use parliamentary language but he was still repeating objectionable words, he said.
He said if the accused gave an undertaking that he would not repeat his words then the court could take up his bail request.
Justice Kayani remarked that everybody used parliamentary language. Their language in opposition used to be different from that of in power, he said.
The investigation officer said the prosecution had obtained the transcript of Sheikh Rasheed’s statement from PEMRA. Sheikh Rasheed stated that he got the information from Imran Khan regarding conspiracy of Asif Zardari against him, he added. However, the accused didn’t provide any evidence in support of his statement.
Sheikh Rasheed’s counsel Salman Akram Raja said the police had registered an FIR against his client on basis of his statement on a TV channel. The lower court had dismissed his bail petition on the risk that the accused could repeat his statement again after being released. He also read out the statement and prayed the court to grant post-arrest bail to his client.
After listening to arguments, the court granted bail to Sheikh Rasheed and issued his release orders.
