KARACHI: Police on Tuesday registered a case against two Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmakers and around 25-30 party workers on charges of resisting arrest of Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh on Monday.

MNA Fahim Ahmed Khan, MPA Raja Azhar were booked in a case registered on the complaint of SHO Mohammed Zubair who stated that he along with other policemen was present inside prison for security duty where the opposition leader was presented before an antiterrorism court by the Anti-Encroachment Force (AEF).

He said after the suspect was granted bail, AEF official Sohail Akhter and others arrested the opposition leader in another case.

As the AEF attempted to shift him to their police station, the PTI legislators and 25-30 workers allegedly attacked him and others creating hindrances in performance of an official duty, blocked road and resorted to hooliganism, he added.

Sheikh sent to prison

Also on Tuesday, a judicial magistrate remanded Mr Sheikh in judicial custody in the second case pertaining to alleged land grabbing.

On Tuesday, the investigating officer produced the PTI leader before Judicial Magistrate (Malir) Furqan Karim to seek his 14-day physical remand in the custody of the AEF for interrogation.

During the hearing, Mr Sheikh complained of maltreatment in the custody, saying he had not been given meal for the last two days.

He added that prison authorities had also failed to provide him medical treatment for an injury in his leg despite clear directives issued by the ATC judge on the last date.

His counsel Malik Altaf Hussain opposed the IO’s request for physical remand and pleaded the court to remand him in judicial custody.

After hearing arguments, the magistrate sent the PTI leader to prison and directed the IO submit an investigation report within two weeks.

A case under Section 8(1) of the Sindh Public Property (Removal of Encroachment) Act, 2010, was registered at the East Anti-Encroachment police station on the complaint of Mukhtiarkar Zulfiqar Ali Mangi on Aug 29.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2022