Opposition leader in Sindh Assembly arrested after violence in Karachi’s by-poll

Karachi: The Leader of Opposition in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Shaikh, who belongs to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, was arrested after firing and violence was reported during the conduct of by-election in a constituency of District Malir of Karachi.

The by-election in two constituencies of Sindh Assembly was held on Tuesday. Both the constituencies, PS-88 of District Malir and PS-43 of District Sanghar, have been won by the candidates of Pakistan Peoples’ Party ruling in the province with a wide margin of votes.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had to order expulsion of Shaikh from the constituency area of District Malir of Karachi during the polling when reports were received that his presence along with armed security guards had been creating problems in the smooth conduct of the poll.

The clash took place between activists of the PPP and PTI outside a polling station in the rural area of the constituency in suburbs of Karachi. Aerial firing was also reported on the occasion.

The leaders of the PPP complained to the poll panel that armed guards accompanying the Opposition Leader were responsible for deterioration of law and order situation and aerial firing during the polling.

The Senior Superintendent of Police of District Malir Irfan Bahadur reached the troubled spot to control the situation.

Presence of an incumbent legislator at a polling station during polling violates the electoral code of conduct. Later, the police formally arrested the Opposition Leader. Charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act were filed against him.

The police presented the Opposition Leader in an Anti-Terrorism Court of Karachi on Wednesday and obtained his remand for two days.

Talking to the media, Shaikh said that he had come under attack during the polling by the PPP. He said he was being subjected to this treatment for exposing the corrupt practices of the PPP’s Sindh government.