Yasmin Rashid’s judicial remand extended till Nov 27 in May 9 case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore extended PTI leader Yasmin Rashid’s judicial remand till November 27.

Yasmin Rashid’s remand was extended in a case pertaining to incendiary speeches she allegedly delivered on May 9 against state institutions at the city’s Sherpao Bridge and rioting in the wake of PTI chairman Imran Khan’s arrest.

Judge Arshad Javed presided Nov 14 hearing, Rashid contended before the court that she and other PTI leaders wanted to contest the upcoming elections, which are scheduled for February 8.

“We have to contest the elections,” she said. “Ijaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, Omar Sarfaraz Cheema as well as others have to contest the polls,” she said.

The court questioned if it was necessary to be out of jail to contest the elections.

To this, Rashid responded it was not necessary but “election campaigning has to be carried out”.

Judge Javed informed PTI leader Yasmin Rashid that a challan for one of the cases against her was submitted to the court. “I don’t know how many cases are registered against you,” he said, adding that the court had summoned challans of others nominated in the case at hand.

“Fifteen women, including me, have been in jail for the past six months,” Yasmin Rashid said.

To this, the judge said the court would shortlist the witnesses.

“They have come to arrest me in 13 different cases registered in Mianwali, Kasur, Faisalabad, and other districts,” Yasmin Rashid told the court.

The judge remarked that this was the “work of the administration” and the court’s job was to function according to the law.

he prosecution team submitted a 280-page challan in the case. It included the names of Rana Tanveer, Riaz Hussain, Zayas Khan and four others. The challan also included the names of 45 witnesses.

The court summoned Yasmin Rashid and other PTI leaders nominated in the case on November 24.

Yasim Rashid after the hearing speaking to the media said that she wanted to contest polls against PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his brother, former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“Take us out if you want to contest the elections,” Yasmin Rashid said, adding that contesting elections was her constitutional right. She also decried the fact that the challans against her had not been completed in the past six months.

“Mothers have been without their children for the past six months,” Yasmin Rashid said as she highlighted the plight of jailed PTI women workers.