KARACHI: Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh has been charge-sheeted by police for instigating his party activists to resort to “violence, rioting, attempted murder and terrorism” during the Karachi by-elections for the PS-88 constituency of Malir and an anti-encroachment drive against his farmhouse.

The police had detained Mr Sheikh along with five party leaders and booked them and scores of others for instigating violence during the by-polls on Feb 16 and for obstructing an anti-encroachment drive against his farmhouse in the city’s Solangi Goth area on Feb 6.

The investigating officer (IO) submitted a report before the administrative judge of the antiterrorism courts (ATC) nominating Mr Sheikh, Ramzan, Mehmood, Ghulam Mustafa Hafeez, Abdul Haseeb, Sheikh Sameer and Ghulam Mustafa as accused in the case pertaining to the alleged violence during the by-elections.

In the charge sheet submitted through special public prosecutor Shahid Arain, the IO mentioned that on Feb 16, upon receiving information about fighting at the polling station set up in the 77 TCF School in Ghulam Hussain Jokhio Goth, he saw Sheikh and Sameer along with eight to 10 accomplices come out of a vehicle.

It further mentioned that around 40-50 men also came out of eight to 10 vehicles, who were wielding batons and axes, and who started fighting with voters coming to the polling station.

Meanwhile on the instigation of Mr Sheikh three or four men armed with weapons started firing with an intention to create terror after which people started running out of the polling station.

The charge sheet further mentioned that Mr Sheikh and his accomplices started firing on policemen.

The report said Sheikh and his accomplices were arrested “on the spot”.

The IO said the MPA and his accomplices violated the code of conduct of the election commission.

The IO requested the administrative judge to accept the charge sheet against the suspects.

Accepting the charge sheet, the judge sent the matter to the ATC-III for disposal of the case in accordance with law.

The judge also accepted the charge sheet in the second case pertaining to resorting to alleged violence during an anti-encroachment operation on Feb 6.

The judge sent the matter to the ATC-III for disposal of the case in accordance with the law.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2021