LAHORE: The Lahore court wanted to be satisfied that whether the Sindh investigation team was here or not, it said while presiding over the case pertaining to Sindh opposition leader in the assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh’s arrest.

The Lahore High Court summoned the Jamshoro probe team to the court till 4pm. It ordered that Adil should be presented before the court if transit remand was not granted.

The government lawyer said that the judicial magistrate did not approve the remand application. Earlier, police presented the suspect before the Model Town Court.

“I am the soldier of Imran Khan,” Adil said as he was brought to the Model Town Court. “See the drama, Sindh police has arrested for [alleged] corruption.”

In an informal conversation with reporters, he asked the Punjab police why they decided to arrest without any FIR. “Handcuffs are the jewel of political workers.”

Report sought from police, Punjab govt

The LHC sought a report from the police and the Punjab government till 2:30pm on Wednesday while hearing the petition of Adil’s principal assistant Farhan on the recovery of his client.

Police ‘seek’ transit remand

Police were expected to seek the transit remand of Sindh opposition leader Haleem Adil Sheikh on Wednesday the Model Town Court, sources said.

They added that Adil would be sent to Karachi to get the transit remand. Adil was arrested in a joint investigation operation by the Gulberg Police Station and the Sindh Anti-Corruption Police.

What is transit remand?

Whenever police of one province want to arrest a suspect in another province, it approaches court and seeks permission from the Home Department. Then, it moves to the court to seek permission, which is called transit remand. In Adil’s case, the Sindh police want to take the suspect from Punjab to Sindh.

The permission is mandatory for the movement of any suspect from one province to another.

According to the updates by noon, the process was underway for taking the transit remand for Adil.

The PTI has approached the Lahore High Court for the recovery of its leader. The IG of Punjab police and the provincial chief secretary has been made parties in the petition.

“Haleem Adil Siddiqui was abducted more than six hours ago,” said the petition, “the Punjab police was expressing ignorance over the arrest.”

It added that if any case was registered against Adil, he should be produced in court.

Haleem Adil Sheikh arrested

Sindh opposition leader Haleem Adil Sheikh was arrested in the wee hours of Wednesday apparently from a private hotel in Lahore, the party said.

The CCTV footage, which was shared by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, shows people in “civil dress” taking away the PTI leader from the hotel lobby. It described it as a “fascist act”. The development came moments after the police arrested media personality Imran Riaz at Islamabad’s toll plaza.

Reacting to the developments, the Imran Khan-led party announced to stage protest outside press clubs across the country.

Former PM Imran had also criticised the coalition government in his speech on Tuesday over alleged harassment of journalists and clampdown on social media.

In a tweet, Sindh governor Imran Ismail condemned the arrest of Adil. He described the incident as the “tactics of dictatorship”.

“We are not being told where Haleem Bhai is,” Ismail said and sought justice from the judiciary and the institutions.

‘Where is my dad?’

Haleem’s daughter Ayesha Haleem Adil Sheikh in a series of tweets asked if somebody knew where her father was. She was disturbed by the response of the Gulberg police station and the Sindh police’s apparent intention to arrest her father.

“I don’t know who is behind my father’s disappearance but I swear I will not rest until I expose every inch of this operation!! Bring my father back or I will raise hell,” she said.

Ayesha spoke about the incident in a video post. She said he father was taken away by people in civil dress at 3:00 am. “My father had multiple times said that his life was in danger,” she said.

“Right now we don’t know who took away Haleem Adil Sheikh and where he is,” Ayesha said, “so I just want to ask is there any law, is there anyone who is left to see what is happening in this country.”

Home department grants permission

“It is requested that necessary police assistance for arresting/shifting of above accused may kindly be accorded after fulfilment of all legal/codal formalities, under intimation to this department (if the said accused is not involved/required in any other case or otherwise within the Punjab province/any court of law),” said the Sindh Home Department’s permission for the arrest of accused Haleem.

A copy of the handout is available with Aaj News.

A police party headed by Zeeshan Hyder Memon, the investigation officer of ACE Jamshoro, Missri Khan Dhani, the sub-inspector, along with the police party of ACE Ghotki Sindh was deputed for the purpose.