A District and Sessions Court in Islamabad has acquitted former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in a case where he accused former President Asif Ali Zardari of plotting to assassinate former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The court's decision was announced by Judicial Magistrate Yasir Mahmood on Friday, who ruled in favor of Rashid’s acquittal.
Speaking to the media after the verdict, Rashid thanked Allah for his acquittal, but noted that he still faces 14 terrorism cases. The case was filed against him in 2023 at Aabpara Police Station in Islamabad, where he was charged with conspiracy and incitement.
Rashid, who is a senior leader of the opposition, criticized the current government, saying they are facing growing public backlash. He claimed that both the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have become unpopular and are now symbols of public anger. He also pointed out that he wasn’t even present when the alleged incident took place, yet he has been charged with terrorism in places like Mach, Lasbela, and Murree—areas he has never visited.
The former minister also commented on Pakistan’s economic troubles, saying farmers are not getting fair prices for their wheat, and accused the government of being under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).