'PTI leaders happy over Haleem Adil Sheikh's arrest,' claims Saeed Ghani

• Ghani says Sheikh violated two rules of the ECP
• Wherever Sheikh goes, trouble follows him, says Ghani
• Sheikh barged into a polling station, misbehaved with police and polling agents, says Ghani
  

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KARACHI: Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said that PTI leaders themselves were happy that Sindh opposition leader Haleem Adil Sheikh had been arrested. 

The minister was speaking to media during a news conference where he said lashed out at Sheikh for inciting violence in the PS-88 constituency a day earlier. 

Read more: PTI's Haleem Adil Sheikh booked for disruption in anti-encroachment drive at Karachi farmhouse

"If a lawmaker does something illegal, then action will can be taken against him similar to how it can be taken against any common person," said Ghani, speaking about Sheikh. 

"You and you channels show how this person was involved in thuggery yesterday and your channels showed how he was misbehaving with police officers," said the minister. "He barged into a polling station and misbehaved with the polling agents there."

Ghani said that "many responsible PTI leaders" expressed their happiness over Sheikh's arrest. "They [PTI leaders] phoned us to say that this person [Sheikh] is an anarchist and wherever he goes, he instigates trouble. Hence if something in accordance with the law is taking place against him, then it should happen. PTI's own people are happy about it," he added. 

Read more: PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh booked under anti-terror law

The minister said that he didn't agree with the ECP's code of conduct, however, he added that Sheikh had violated it. He said that the ECP had barred a lawmaker from entering the constituency but the PTI leader had went one step further and barged into a polling station. 

He also accused Sheikh of violating another ECP code of conduct by keeping "armed thugs" with him on election day at the PS-88 constituency. The minister said that the guards with Sheikh had fired aerial shots, causing fear and panic. 

"This is a person who likes to instigate chaos and trouble. He wants his face to be shown in the media, social media by getting coverage through whatever means," said Ghani. 

He said that the ECP had itself admitted that Sheikh was carrying weapons in the constituency. "I would urge the ECP to register an FIR against Haleem Adil Sheikh," he added. 

PTI's Haleem Adil Sheikh arrested amid by-polls in Karachi's PS-88

Senior Superintendent of Police Malir Irfan Bahadur confirmed Sheikh had been arrested on Tuesday, as clashes broke out amid polling in the city's PS-88 constituency.

According to Geo News correspondent Talha Hashmi, two cases were registered against Sheikh at the Gadap and Memon Goth police stations for disrupting an anti-encroachment drive carried out at his farmhouse on February 6.

He was being held at the Special Investigation Unit in Saddar, police informed Geo News, later in the evening.

At the time of the arres, riot police were stationed outside the SSP's office. Water cannons and additional troops were also at the ready to deal with any protests. All the police personnel were given anti-riot gear.

At one point, Sheikh attempted to exit the SSP's office, where he was brought after being escorted out of the constituency, but his departure was prevented by police personnel.

ECP tells police to take Sheikh away

The police was acting on the orders of the ECP, after the latter had sent written orders to remove Sheikh from the constituency.

The order was written by the Regional Election Commissioner Nadeem Haider and was sent to SP Malir.

In a separate letter to SSP Malir, Haider told the police to make sure that no elected representative is in the constituency.

He added that if any elected representative is found then he or she should be kicked out.

The PPP had complained to the chief election commissioner alleging that the PTI leader was harassing voters in the constituency along with armed men.

Sheikh vows 'payback'

A video statement of Sheikh was released following his arrest.

"I have been informed by the SSP Malir that I have been arrested," he had said.

"As Leader of the Opposition, I should have been given security," Sheikh had said, adding that security was withdrawn "on the orders of Zardari and Bilawal".

Sheikh had said that he was not present in the constituency but his workers were "attacked".

"When I got there, I too, was attacked," he had alleged, adding that his guards resorted to aerial firing to disperse the "attackers".

"They harassed me to influence the election," Sheikh had claimed, without naming anyone.

He further claimed that the party workers were forcibly removed from the polling stations and shoved around.

"The PPP have tried to take over the election via an elaborate plot," he had alleged.

"I will not let go of this easily. There will be payback for every move," Sheikh had said.

The PTI leader had said that he was taken away from the constituency but was not allowed to leave the SP police's office. He also said that his guards were taken into police custody.