Sheikh Rasheed announces to contest elections from jail

RAWALPINDI: Former interior minister and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed has announced to contest general elections 2024 from jail, ARY News reported on Friday.

While talking to the journalists, Sheikh Rasheed criticised that he would not be released from jail due to lodging of several cases against him.

Unveiling his future strategy, he announced to contest general elections from jail. “Tomorrow, the actual number of cases against me will be disclosed in the anti-terrorism court (ATC).”

“I had already secured bail in 20 cases. I won’t be released due to several cases. I had told five top lawyers of Pakistan on stamp papers about my decision to contest polls from jail.”

Commenting on Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Rasheed said that if Nawaz Sharif is speaking then he would speak too. “I’m going to visit press clubs across the country. The press club of every city would give me bail where a case is registered against me.”

On October 21, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed resurfaced after a month-long disappearance and condemned the May 9 riots while calling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan a ‘stubborn’.

Talking to a private news channel, the former interior minister said that he had been on a ‘Chilla’ (apparently spending time underground) for the last 40 days.

Sheikh Rasheed – an ally of PTI chief Imran Khan – said that he had the opportunity to reflect on many things during the chilla in this age. “No one caused any harm during this period”, he added.

The AML president further said that he always stood by Pakistan Army, noting that he had also suggested PTI chief that “one should keep good terms with the army”. “I am proud to call myself the spokesperson of Pakistan Army”, Rasheed insisted.

He further said that no politician should take the names of any Pakistan army officer, adding that all the three people who were holding talks with the army for the PTI chief had made their own party.