Haleem Adil booked for disruption of anti-encroachment drive

KARACHI: PTI lawmaker Haleem Adil Sheikh was booked for attempted murder, interference in government duties, and disruption during an anti-encroachment drive carried out at his Malir farmhouse a day prior, police confirmed Sunday. Karachi police said the first information report (FIR) against Haleem Adil Sheikh — the leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly — included clauses pertaining to disturbing peace, financial loss to government property, assault on government employees, attempted murder, intimidation, and interference in the government's work.

At least 70 people, including the PTI lawmaker, were named in the case filed at the Memon Goth police station on behalf of Muhammad Ayub, a resident of Karachi's Korangi neighbourhood.

The case was filed after an operation against Sheikh's family farmhouses in Karachi on Saturday in which anti-encroachment teams encountered resistance, with protesters throwing stones at government staff and smashing windows of their vehicles.

In this regard, the Sindh Information and Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said the operation against encroachments was being conducted the orders of the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed.

"Haleem Adil Sheikh was crying hoarse that action had been taken against his family," Shah noted.

Officials say more than 500 acres of government land worth billions have been relinquished so far, with the administration claiming that the land was leased for 30 years for poultry farming and agricultural purposes but was being used for commercial purposes.

The PTI lawmaker, on the other hand, termed the anti-encroachment operation as an act of "political revenge" by the government of Sindh, whereas his party peer, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, has demanded the CJP take suo motu notice.

"A clear Violation of court stay order today by Sindh Govt on the instructions of Double Shah-Syed Murad Ali Shah, Nasir Shah & other GS officials," Sheikh wrote on Twitter.