Staff Reporter Karachi
Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh on Monday alleged that a video shared by the PTI’s Karachi chapter on Twitter showed the way the Sindh government “through 50-60 criminals, prisoners, goons got me attacked”.
He also said the Sindh government was “manhandling, torturing and harassing” PTI workers in jail.
Sheikh, who was remanded in judicial custody by an anti-terrorism court on Feb 19, was detained last week in a case related to violence, firing, attempted murder and causing terror during the by-polls in the PS-88 constituency of Malir.
In a video statement, Sheikh said he had come to Karachi’s Jinnah Hospital allegedly after he was beaten up while in jail, adding that PTI workers, including Samir Mir Shaikh, Amjad, Hafeez Chandio and three other people who are in Central Jail are being “tortured”.
“I was told yesterday that Samir Mir Shaikh is being kept in a phansi gath (hanging cell) like me and they are treating him inhumanely.
Five senior colleagues of mine in the Malir [District] Jail since Feb 7, workers of the PTI and my constituency — Iqbal Shah, Usman Bugti, Aziz Bhatti, Rao Yousuf, Khalil Mehsud’s son Nauroze Mehsud — are being tortured in jail.”
Detailing Samir’s condition, Sheikh claimed that a police officer had told him that “a lot of strictness” is being done on Samir. “Is it his fault that he knows the PPP’s thieves and looters from within?” he questioned, demanding that Samir be recovered immediately.
Meanwhile, Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi said that Sheikh was hospitalised after being attacked by “50 PPP goons inside Central Jail Karachi”. He vowed to raise the matter with Prime Minister Imran Khan. “High time that action is taken against IGP-Sindh, Home Sec & an incompetent Chief Secretary,” he said in a tweet.
In a press conference today, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail heavily criticised the Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Mahar, saying he hoped the prime minister would take “strict notice” of the incident with Sheikh.
“Nobody will be allowed to do as they wish here. What is happening today with [Sheikh] can happen tomorrow to you or me,” he said while apparently addressing officials in Sindh Police.
Ismail claimed that Sheikh was “kept locked up at night along with other people and beaten”.He questioned whether it was an attempt by the provincial government to “set an example for others that this would be done to them if they opposed [Sindh government]”.
“I want to send a clear message to the IG sahb that this is the last opportunity for you to take police decisions on fairness and justice.”
The governor shared that he called the provincial police chief yesterday and was told whatever was happening was according to the law.
