Sindh govt attacked me through goons in jail,' claims PTI's Haleem Adil

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh on Monday alleged that a video shared by the PTI's Karachi chapter on Twitter showed the way the Sindh government "through 5060 criminals, prisoners, goons got me attacked".

He also alleged the Sindh government was "manhandling, torturing and harassing" PTI workers in jail. Sheikh, who was remanded in judicial custody by an anti-terrorism court on Feb 19, was detained last week in a case related to violence, firing, attempted murder and causing terror during the by-polls in the PS-88 constituency of Malir.

In a video statement, Sheikh said he had come to Karachi's Jinnah Hospital allegedly after he was beaten up while in jail, adding that PTI workers, including Samir Mir Shaikh, Amjad, Hafeez Chandio and three other people who are in Central Jail are being "tortured".

"I was told yesterday that Samir Mir Shaikh is being kept in a phansi gath (hanging cell) like me and they are treating him inhumanely. Five senior colleagues of mine in the Malir [District] Jail since Feb 7, workers of the PTI and my constituency - Iqbal Shah, Usman Bugti, Aziz Bhatti, Rao Yousuf, Khalil Mehsud's son Nauroze Mehsud - are being tortured in jail."

Detailing Samir's condition, Sheikh claimed that a police officer had told him that "a lot of strictness" is being done on Samir. "Is it his fault that he knows the PPP's thieves and looters from within?" he questioned, demanding that Samir be recovered immediately. Meanwhile, Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi said that Sheikh was hospitalised after being attacked by "50 PPP goons inside Central Jail Karachi".

He vowed to raise the matter with Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"High time that action is taken against IGP-Sindh, Home Sec & an incompetent Chief Secretary," he said in a tweet. Sheikh's claims were contradicted by Central Jail Superintendent Hassan Sahito who said "nobody raised a hand on Haleem Adil Sheikh or slapped him".

In a statement, he said Sheikh was transferred to the Central Jail at 4pm on Saturday when routine work was being done. "Haleem Adil Sheikh was being moved to the Mohammad Ali B-class ward [...] and was passing through the waiting area when some prisoners raised slogans.