A visitor might have brought in snake to Haleem Sheikh's cell: Murtaza

KARACHI: Senator Murtaza Wahab has reacted to a snake being discovered in PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh's cell, saying that it is possible that someone from the outside may have brought the snake to the jailed opposition leader's cell to deliberately trigger a controversy, media reported on Sunday.

Two days earlier, a snake was found in Sheikh's cell. The PTI leader is being kept in police custody after his arrest for allegedly violating law and order during the by-polls in Karachi's Malir earlier this week. Sources said the officers stationed outside Sheikh's cell did not hear any noise, but authorities have started checking the CCTV footage. The Sindh police and government faced severe criticism after a snake was found in Sheikh's cell when he was in police custody on Friday. Later in the day, the PTI leader was sent to jail.

Sheikh had claimed that a cobra had been placed inside his cell on the directives of PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The PTI leader said he had killed the snake.

Speaking to media persons after attending a conference at the University of Karachi on Saturday, Wahab said: "The police do have evidence of whoever came to meet Haleem Adil Sheikh. If a woman came to visit him, it will also be determined." He said that the state was under a solemn obligation to respond in accordance with the law if someone challenged its writ. Wahab accused the Sindh Assembly opposition leader of carrying weapons while visiting polling stations during the recent by-election in the PS-88 constituency in District Malir.