KARACHI: Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Shaikh was arrested on Tuesday for violating the orders of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) during PS-88 by-elections.
The election commission has taken strict action against Haleem Adil Sheikh in the constituency with armed guards and visiting different polling stations. The commission warned him to immediately leave the constituency.
Shaikh was later arrested by police after he refused to obey the ECP orders and was evicted from the constituency. According to ECP’s election code of conduct, public officeholders and candidates cannot visit polling stations.
The PTI leader was consistently visiting different polling stations the morning where a by-election is underway. ECP spokesperson said that Sheikh was involved in the violation of the election code of conduct after which police and staff of other polling stations were informed about the situation.
The police have informed that an armoured personnel carrier has been requested for his transport, adding that he will be taken to the Memon Goth police station. M A Baloch, the provincial lawmaker’s spokesperson, has confirmed the Sheikh’s arrest.
As the arrest took place, riot police were stationed outside the SSP’s office. Water cannons and additional troops were also ready to deal with any protests. All the police personnel were given anti-riot gear.
ECP is holding by-elections on two vacant seats of Sindh and one from the Balochistan Assembly. Strict security arrangements have been made during the bypolls as Rangers personnel are performing security duty outside whereas police have been deployed inside the polling stations.
The constituency that mainly consists of the city’s suburbs in Malir saw an aggressive election campaign from all political parties, especially the PPP and the PTI. The seat fell vacant after Murtaza Baloch, the minister for human settlement, died of Covid-19 in June last year.
Haleem Adil’s statement
A video statement of Sheikh was released following his arrest. “I have been informed by the SSP Malir that I have been arrested,” he said.
Haleem claimed that his police security, assigned to him as he is the leader of the opposition in the provincial assembly, was withdrawn a week earlier on the orders of Zardari and Bilawal.
He further said that he was not present in the constituency but his workers were attacked. “When I got there, I too, was attacked,” he alleged, adding that his guards resorted to aerial firing to disperse the “attackers”.
“They harassed me to influence the election,” Sheikh claimed, without naming anyone. He further claimed that the party workers were forcibly removed from the polling stations and shoved around.
He also claimed that the PPP has tried to take over the election via an elaborate plot. “I will not let go of this easily. There will be payback for every move,” Sheikh said.
PPP writes letter to ECP
Earlier today (Tuesday), the PPP wrote a letter to the ECP and urged it to take notice of the alleged rule violations by Sheikh. The letter written by Taj Haider, the incharge of the PPP’s Central Election Cell, said Sheikh could be seen roaming the constituency with armed persons and was harassing voters.
“Sheikh, being a member of the Sindh Assembly, is not permitted under the law to enter the constituency and that too with armed persons. He has been reported to have entered with armed persons in polling stations 20 and 22 of Bhitai Abad,” the letter added.
It further stated, “Voters are being taken to the PTI office situated in the area and being given parchis on the promise of being paid Rs12,000 under the Ehsaas programme if they vote for the PTI candidate.”
