Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed received an electric jolt while holding a microphone during a rally organised to show solidarity with Kashmiris in Rawalpindi on Friday.
Rasheed, who is also the chief of Awami Muslim League (AML), was on stage and had just begun his speech when he was jolted by an electric shock from his mic. Consequently, in a state of panic he dropped it to the ground.
Footage of the incident soon began doing the rounds on social media.
یوم یکجہتی کشمیر کے احتجاج پر شیخ رشید احمد کو دوران خطاب مائک سے کرنٹ لگ گیا.
کسی بھی حادثے سے وفاقی وزیر ریلوے شیخ رشید احمد محفوظ رہے pic.twitter.com/4IwlJy3WLC— Notorious Omar (@omarbinasif) August 30, 2019
The senior politician, however, was able to keep his composure and laughed it off by saying, “Now [Indian PM] Modi would never be able to sabotage this rally as the ‘current’ is there”.
This is not the first time a politician has received the electric shock while addressing a rally as popular singer and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Abrarul Haq also went through the same ordeal during electioneering ahead of last year’s polls in Narowal, Punjab.
Continuing with his speech, the railways minister condemned India’s unconstitutional move to revoke Article 370, stripping Occupied Jammu and Kashmir of its special status. He termed Prime Minister Modi’s move as ‘historic blunder’.
The public gathering was held in connection with Kashmir Solidarity Day, being observed across the country on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s call.
Rasheed said the Kashmir issue was getting the global attention due to New Delhi’s wrong decisions. The minister said that the sacrifices of Kashmiri people would not go in vein and hoped Occupied Kashmir would be soon liberated from the clutches of Indian forces.