Justice must prevail for peace and progress, says Sheikh Rashid

RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - Awami Muslim League chief and former federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that justice should be made accessible to all, as peace and prosperity in Pakistan depend on it.

Speaking to the media outside the Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court, Sheikh Rashid said that the judge was unwell today. He claimed that his nephew has never even visited Faisalabad, yet was sentenced to four separate 10-year terms in cases registered there, without the right to cross-examination.

“There are no witnesses in this case. We are not being allowed to fight it. Both the lawyers and witnesses are state-appointed,” he alleged.

Sheikh Rashid lamented that justice has been disgraced, while poor workers facing sentences are unable to afford food or school fees for their children.

Calling for justice to be ensured, he added, “The nation must be given relief. Only then will Pakistan move forward. We want peace and progress, not a system where people look helplessly towards the skies.”

On the issue of water resources, Sheikh Rashid said he made repeated efforts to build dams during his multiple terms as minister, but Sindh opposed the Kalabagh Dam. He added that Indian water aggression has devastated Pakistan’s farmers, stressing that they must be supported in real terms.