Sheikh Rasheed, a close aide of Imran, with ‘Half Paav Nuclear Bomb’ arrested from Rawalpindi, picked up by people in plain clothes

Sheikh Rasheed, former interior minister of Pakistan and a key ally of Imran Khan and his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been arrested by authorities from his residence in Rawalpindi, according to his lawyer. Sheikh Rashid’s lawyer told Dawn that the 72-year-old Awami Muslim League (AML) leader was arrested by plainclothes men from his residence in Rawalpindi and shifted to an undisclosed location. Rashid’s nephew Sheikh Shakir and house help Sheikh Imran have also been arrested.

Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, nephew of the former minister, said in a video message that I request the top judiciary to pay attention to the arrest of a senior politician as he was not wanted in any case. The details of the allegations against the AML leader have not been revealed yet. In a post on the X platform, PTI condemned Rashid’s arrest and accused the government of political oppression and promoting fascism. This is another case of mockery of law in Pakistan. Despite a caretaker government, fascism and gross violations of human rights continue.

Earlier in June, Rashid had alleged that Islamabad police entered his house and beat up his servants. The AML leader claimed that in the second incident, a plainclothes force tortured his employees at his Rawalpindi residence. Details reveal that the former interior minister was asked to appear before the anti-corruption watchdog. He had earlier on May 24 ‘skipped’ the hearing of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) probing the £190 million settlement from the United Kingdom. The arrest of the AML leader comes as action is being taken against PTI and its supporters over the violent riots that broke out in the state on May 9 following the arrest of Imran Khan. Several state buildings and military residences were vandalized by PTI workers.