Senior politician and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid, who failed to appear before the returning officer (RO) of NA-62 for the scrutiny of his nomination papers today, blamed the jail administration for not producing him before the RO, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.

Later talking to the media at Pindi kutchehry, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Sheikh Rashid’s nephew, said he had received a phone call at 7:00 PM last night in which he had been told that his uncle would not be produced before the RO. “A magistrate in Murree had ordered Sheikh Rashid’s production, but the jail superintendent refused to comply with his orders,” he alleged.

He further said that the RO, on the other hand, had accepted senior politician’s papers.

He accused the Rawalpindi administration of removing over 1, 000 banners of Sheikh Rashid.

Shafiq said while returning from Murree his uncle was asked to meet somebody. “But he refused to meet that person at night, saying he will meet him only in the morning,” he added.

He said his uncle was being pressurized to change his loyalties and leave Imran Khan. “But Sheikh sahib is steadfast, and has refused to leave the PTI chief,” he added.

Superintendent Adiala Jail Asad Warraich, on the other hand, rejected the allegation.

Reporter: Irshad Qureshi