PTI leader acquitted of kidnap, assault charges

A court in Umerkot district acquitted on Saturday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's parliamentary party leader in the Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh, of assaulting and kidnapping a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) worker.

Sheikh and his supporters claimed they were attacked by men belonging to PPP while visiting Kunri to offer condolences to the families of Tezgam inferno victims on November 1, 2019. However, they were booked in an FIR under Sections 364, 365, 341, 337, 506 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Sheikh, Jansher Junejo, Haji Nisar Arain, Muhammad Owais, Muhammad Umar and Syed Murtaza Shah were nominated in the case.

The court acquitted them after the prosecution was unable to provide sufficient evidence against them.

Speaking to the media after the pronouncement of the court's verdict, Sheikh said the judgment was a victory of truth and justice. He said the henchmen of PPP's Nawab Taimur Talpur had attacked his convoy of vehicles. But, he added, the area police had booked him and his supporters instead of the attackers under the provincial ruling party's influence.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2020.