The Islamabad High Court has delivered a detailed verdict on the applications concerning Kemari Karachi and other cases against former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, affirming that an FIR cannot be registered for an incident outside the jurisdiction of the relevant police station. Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri issued a 41-page decision, emphasizing that constitutional courts must protect citizens' rights. The court declared that the incident involving Sheikh Rasheed took place at the Islamabad Polyclinic, thus falling under its jurisdiction. Consequently, the case against Sheikh Rasheed at the Mojko Kemari Karachi Police Station has been dismissed. The decision criticized the practice of political parties filing frivolous cases against opponents, noting that such actions undermine democracy and the rule of law. The court stressed that political opponents are often subjected to harassment through multiple cases filed across different regions for the same offense, which is a violation of the law as determined by the Supreme Court.

The judgment highlighted that judicial assistants and police officials confirmed that FIRs from incidents in Islamabad are not valid in other provinces. Following this, petitioners withdrew their applications. The court noted that a case was filed against Sheikh Rasheed in Kemari Karachi for derogatory remarks about Bilawal Bhutto, made while he was at the polyclinic in Islamabad. The police acknowledged that the incident was rooted in Islamabad, and thus, there was no valid case in Karachi. However, the police official refrained from making an official statement due to the involvement of Bilawal Bhutto. Referencing the Supreme Court's Sugra Bibi case, the judgment reiterated that the same incident cannot be registered in different locations. This ruling marks a significant decision in favor of Sheikh Rasheed, with the Islamabad High Court dismissing cases registered against him in various provinces, reinforcing the importance of jurisdiction and legal boundaries.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan