Pakistan: Sheikh Rashid's nephew, Rashid Shafiq granted bail over Masjid-i-Nabawi incident

May 10, 2022

Taxila [Pakistan], May 10 : Former Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed's nephew Sheikh Rashid Shafiq has been granted bail on Monday by a Fatehjang judicial magistrate, Malik Arif in relation to a case registered against him over the Masjid-i-Nabawi incident.
After hearing the arguments of the MNA lawyer, over the Masjid-i-Nabawi incident which resulted in the arrest of Rashid Shafiq, the judicial magistrate decided to reserve the verdict, reported the Dawn newspaper.
According to the lawyer, the sloganeering incident at Masjid-i-Nabawi happened in Saudi Arabia. However, the case was registered in Pakistan, which indicated that it was nothing but a political retaliation. Neither the newly-elected Pakistan Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif nor the Pakistan Information Minister, Fawad Chaudhry were plaintiffs in the case.
Reportedly, during the court hearing, a heavy contingent of police was stationed at the district court's main gate, reported the Dawn newspaper.
Earlier, irked by the non-production of case property, a judicial magistrate in Attock on Wednesday rejected a plea by the Pakistan police for an extension in the physical remand of Rashid Shafiq but instead sent him on a 14-day judicial remand.
The members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, present on the court premises were chanting slogans against the arrest of Rashid Shafiq by the New Airport police of Attock district on his return from Saudi Arabia, reported the Dawn newspaper.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabia police had arrested five Pakistani nationals for "abusing and insulting" members of PM Shehbaz Sharif's delegation at the Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madina, when the newly-elected Pakistan Prime Minister went on a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia.