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Updated 04 Feb, 2023 04:08pm

Sheikh Rasheed fears being killed in Karachi, says he was tied to chair

A district and sessions court in Islamabad sent Sheikh Rasheed on a 14-day judicial remand after his two-day physical remand ended on Saturday.

Speaking to the media as the police ushered him on, Sheikh Rasheed mentioned the cases registered against him in Karachi and Murree.

“There is a chance I might be killed in Karachi,” he said to reporters. He also said he was blindfolded and tied to a chair while in prison.

He said five people would be responsible if any harm came to him: Asif Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto, Mohsin Naqvi, Shahbaz Sharif and Rana Sanaullah. He also demanded that Rangers be made responsible for his security.

A heavy contingent of security was present at the court as Rasheed was brought in. Media reporters chased the politician, as police tried to hurry him to the courtroom. He also tripped as he energetically tried to speak to the reporters and a police official had to console him until he was ready to walk again.

Rasheed was originally arrested in a case for making allegations against Zardari, a former preisdent, for being involved in a plot to kill Imran Khan. The arrest took place in a private housing society in Islamabad, late on Wednesday night. Police had also arrested Imran Riaz Khan, the journalist in whose show Sheikh had made the claim, although he was later released by a Lahore court.

The case against him in Murree has charged him with interference in State affairs while the case in Karachi has booked him for making inappropriate remarks against Bilawal, who is currently serving as Pakistan’s foreign minister.

Rasheed’s case has been mainly pursued by his nephew Rashid Shafique. However, PTI’s Murad Saeed and Faisal javed also made an appearance in court before his hearing on Saturday.

PTI has also accused the PDM government of coming after Sheikh Rasheed using the same playbook used against Azam Swati, who was moved from Islamabad to Balochistan and then to Sindh before finally being released.

This story is being updated.

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