Magistrate refuses custody of Haleem Adil to police

PTI leader complains of food, sleep deprivation in custody; sent on judicial remand

KARACHI:

Judicial Magistrate Malir Ahmed Ali Gabool on Tuesday refused to give physical custody of an apparently battered and shaken PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh to police and sent him to the safety of jail under court custody.

The magistrate rejected the request of anti-encroachment officials for physical remand of Sindh Assembly Opposition Leader Haleem Adil Sheikh and issued an order to send him to jail on judicial remand.

The judicial magistrate heard the case of illegal occupation of 25 acres of government land by Haleem in Malir District Court.

Scores of PTI workers were present at the Malir District Court when police brought Haleem for a hearing.

Haleem appeared dazed and disoriented; PTI workers rushed to the police squad picked him up and took him to the courtroom.

Haleem, while recording his statement in the court, said, "I have been kept in the B9-1 ward which is reserved for terrorists. My leg is swollen but no medical aid is provided to me."

The PTI leader narrates his ordeal before the magistrate and complained of food and sleep deprivation torture by police.

"I have not been given food for the last two days. I was forced to watch videos at 3 am and the police officials did not allow me to sleep," Haleem said, adding; that besides mentally he was physically tortured and humiliated. "I was pushed to the ground. I was arrested in a new trial from inside the jail."

The court asked the investigating officer (IO), that why he grabbed Haleem by the neck.

The IO Inspector Sohail replied that he did not grab Haleem’s collar, rather he was about to fall, "so I caught hold of his shirt and saved him from falling."

Haleem’s counsel stated that the revenue official, tapaydar, has registered a case against his client.