KARACHI: Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was booked by the Karachi police in a case pertaining to attempted murder and hindering an anti-encroachment drive.

The provincial and district administration had demolished farmhouses, belonging to Mr Sheikh and his family, on the outskirts of the city a day earlier.

The Memon Goth police registered an FIR against Mr Sheikh and his 70 unknown companions for disturbing peace, causing financial loss to government property, assault on government employees, attempted murder, intimidation and interference in official work.

The case was registered on the complaint of a Korangi resident, Muhammad Ayub.

Leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly alleges his family’s farmhouses were demolished at CM’s behest

After a few hours, the Malir deputy commissioner released a statement recalling Saturday’s “violent” event when government officials and other employees were attacked for carrying out an anti-encroachment operation on the directives of the Supreme Court.

“During the operation in subdivision Memon Goth and subdivision Shah Mureed, 548 acres of state land was recovered,” said the statement. “Similarly, 358 acres of state land in Deh Narathar and Deh Allah Phihai of subdivision Shah Mureed Malir was also recovered. The district administration has requested the general public to avoid investment in any illegal project.”

The fresh action by the Sindh government aggravated its already strained relations with the opposition.

Opposition leader Mr Sheikh, who is also the vice president of the PTI, accused the chief minister of “masterminding the illegal operation against opposition leaders”.

Judicial probe demanded

“Government officials and machinery are being used to attack the farmhouses of my relatives at the behest of the chief minister,” he said while addressing a press conference in Gulshan-i-Umair Society.

Accompanied by other party leaders and lawmakers including Prakash Ukrani, Khurram Sherzaman, Dr Imran Shah, Dua Bhutto, Karim Bux Gabol and Jansher Junejo, he said the PPP government was busy in political vendetta against the opposition.

“We have legal documents for every inch of our lands,” he said. “These leased lands were purchased by my cousin from Munni Begum. Tariq Qureshi and Azeem Adil Sheikh both are businessmen. The Malir deputy commissioner had already filed a report about these lands. In 2011, a committee was formed and the matter was approved by the Board of Revenue.”

He alleged that the PPP government launched an “anti-opposition operation” after the PTI staged a protest rally from Hyderabad to Karachi against sugar mills and Omni Group. Since 2018, he said, the PPP government tried its best to implicate him in false cases but failed to get any proof.

“I demand that a judicial commission be formed to hold an investigation into cases of land grabbing in Sindh,” he said and offered that the commission should start its probe from him.

Minister ready for judicial probe

Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah came up with a strong reaction against the “false allegations” levelled by the PTI leader but also appeared ready for a judicial probe.He said Prime Minister Imran Khan should order his own inquiry and appoint any judge for the probe.

“A judicial commission should be set up to probe into wrongdoings of people. The false allegations would not work,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2021