Investigation of ‘assault’ on PTI MPA transferred

The move is carried out on orders of Mirpurkhas DIG

HYDERABAD: Sindh police have transferred the investigation of the alleged assault on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Haleem Adil Sheikh. Karachi deputy inspector general of investigation transferred on Wednesday the inquiry of the incident from Umerkot Police to Shaheed Benazirabad Range Police.

Sheikh was allegedly assaulted during his visit to Umerkot District on November 1.

"... the change of investigation of the said case is allowed to be transferred from Mirpurkhas Range [which includes Umerkot and Tharparkar districts as well] to any competent officer of Shaheed Benazirabad Range," the Investigation DIG's order reads. The order is based on recommendations given by a board comprising Hyderabad SSP Adeel Hussain Chandio, Umerkot  SSP Aijaz Ahmed Shaikh and Tharparkar SSPAbdullah Ahmad.

The board was formed by Mirpurkhas DIG Saqib Ismail Memon on November 6. "... the board recommended that it is a fit case for a change of investigation," the document containing the DIG's orders stated.

Haleem Adil Sheikh asks PTI local leader to keep his 'iron rod' ready for opponents

Meanwhile, Sheikh maintains that a police officer who acted as a partisan to the alleged attackers cannot head an impartial investigation.

The PTI leader was allegedly attacked during his visit to Kunri, Umerkot, to attend the funeral prayers of the victims of Tezgam Express inferno, on November 1. He was allegedly attacked on the directives of MPA Taimur Talpur of Pakistan Peoples Party.

Sheikh claimed that the SSP was present on the spot along with the MPA. He claims that they have pictorial evidence of the SSP's presence with Talpur on that day. The PTI leader wanted registration of an FIR against the SSP, Talpur and other people involved in the attack. However, he was himself booked in an FIR under sections 364, 365, 341, 337, 506 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Sheikh has accused the SSP for acting like a personal servant of the PPP's Umerkot chapter leadership. In a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, the PTI leader claimed that they kept receiving complaints of political victimisation of PTI's supporters by the SSP prior to the incident. "He has been posted in Umerkot district to victimise PTI's supporters, who are present in large numbers in that district." He also charged him for colluding with the land grabbers. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2019.