ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday withdrew the notification of violation of election’s code of conduct against Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) provincial lawmaker Haleem Adil Sheikh.
Headed by Commission member from Punjab Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi, the two member Commission heard the case against Haleem Adil Sheikh.
In his arguments during the hearings, Haleem Adil’s lawyer Shahid Gondal said that his client had submitted his reply to the Commission and there was no evidence of violations against him.
Haleem Adil’s lawyer further said that the Commission should reject the plea against his client on the basis of lack of evidence of any violations.
Shahid Gondal in his closing arguments requested the Commission to hear their case filed against Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on July 29 had adjourned the case against PTI’s Parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh regarding the violation of election’s code of conduct during the by-elections in Ghotki NA-205 till September 2. Punjab member in Commission Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi during his remarks had directed Haleem Sheikh’s lawyer to submit an affidavit alongwith the reply. Later on, talking to the media after the previous hearings outside the ECP, Haleem Adil had said that the Commission summoned them and they appeared before it.
He had told the media that Sindh government committed rigging in the recently held by-election in NA-205, Ghotki and a huge amount of Rs 500 million was spent by PPP’s candidate during the election campaign.
Haleem Adil Sheikh had claimed that State machinery was used in the by-election by the ruling party leaders in Sindh, stating that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto also used the Sindh government helicopter during the election campaign. Haleem Adil’s lawyer Shahid Gondal had told journalists that the Commission did not bother to send a notice to Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah on the petition filed against him over his attempts to influence elections. However, the Commission decided to hear the case against CM-Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah on the petition submitted by the PTI’s leader Haleem Adil Sheikh on September 18. The ECP had summoned the PTI lawmaker Haleem Adil Sheikh after a petition was filed against him related to the violation of election’s code of conduct during the by-elections in NA-205 Ghotki.