ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a detailed verdict on Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s petition to dismiss multiple cases filed against him nationwide for his “indecent” comments about Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, in a 41-page full verdict, emphasized that only one first information report (FIR) can be registered per incident and only at the relevant police station.
The IHC highlighted that it is a well-established legal principle that a person cannot be prosecuted multiple times for the same offense.
On June 25, the court dismissed the case filed against the Awami Muslim League (AML) chief for using offensive language against the PPP chairman.
The FIR was initially registered by Karachi’s Mochko police station in Keamari on the complaint of a local PPP leader.
The high court criticized the practice of political parties, while in power, lodging multiple baseless cases against their opponents across different regions, calling it a blatant violation of established laws.
The verdict stated that no other FIR could be registered apart from the one at the relevant police station.
“It is the constitutional courts’ responsibility to protect citizens’ rights. In Sheikh Rashid’s case, the incident occurred at PolyClinic Hospital in Islamabad, hence the court exercised its jurisdiction over it,” the verdict read. Consequently, the court dismissed the case filed at Karachi’s police station.
Judicial assistants and police noted that registering FIRs for an incident in Islamabad in other provinces was inappropriate. Thus, cases in Peshawar, Lahore, and Lasbela were also dismissed.
Sheikh Rashid was accused of using “unethical and extremely obscene” language against the former foreign minister in the FIR lodged at the Karachi police station, although the words were uttered in Islamabad.
The police confirmed that the case was invalid as the incident occurred in Islamabad.
A senior police officer noted the sensitivity of the Bilawal Bhutto matter and refrained from making an official statement, citing the Supreme Court’s Sughran Bibi vs State case, which dictates that multiple FIRs cannot be registered for a single incident.
The court’s decision underscores the need for political parties to reconsider filing baseless cases, as it harms democracy and the rule of law. This ruling reaffirms a crucial legal principle essential for ensuring justice and protecting citizens’ rights.
