Daily Times

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday granted bail to Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh in two cases pertaining to rioting, terrorism, attack on police and interference in government duties and disruption during the recently held PS-88 by-polls and an anti-encroachment drive.

A two-member bench comprising SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh and Justice Yousuf Ali Saeed heard bail pleas of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) leader and granted the bail.

The court directed Sheikh to submit two surety bonds worth Rs0.2 million each.

Earlier, the Sindh High Court on March 13 issued notices to the Prosecutor General Sindh and others to file their comments on the bail petition of Haleem Adil Sheikh in the two cases.

During the hearing, his lawyer alleged that his client was booked in the cases on the directives of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, adding he was subjected to vengeful action on being nominated as the opposition leader. The opposition leader approached the SHC after an anti-terrorism court had rejected his bail pleas.

Earlier in March, a special anti-terrorism court (ATC) had rejected Sheikh’s bail pleas. However, another PTI leader, Mir Sameer Sheikh, and his driver, Ghulam Mustafa, were granted bail. Sheikh had his bail rejected by the special court in the cases pertaining to rioting in Malik Memon Goth during by-polls in PS-88 and during an anti-encroachment operation. Sameer Sheikh and his driver were granted bail against surety bonds worth Rs50,000 each. He is co-accused in the PS-88 rioting case. The PTI leader was whisked away in a police mobile by men in plain clothes outside the Sindh High Court (SHC) on February 19.

Sameer’s lawyers, Shahid Soomro and Saifi Ali had argued that cases against his client were based on malice and that he was not present during the anti-encroachment operation or the by-elections.