Haleem Adil Sheikh Explained

Haleem Adil Sheikh
Office:Leader of the Opposition Provincial Assembly of Sindh
Predecessor:Firdous Naqvi
Termstart:26 January 2021
Office1:President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Sindh
Term Start1:2 June 2023
1Blankname1:Chairman
1Namedata1:Imran Khan
Gohar Ali Khan
Term Start2:21 July 2019
Birth Date:22 February 1966[1]
Birth Place:Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Nationality:Pakistani
Party:PTI (2018-present)
Otherparty:PML (Q) (2013-2018)[2]
Spouse:[3]
Office3:Member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh
Term Start3:13 August 2018
Successor2:Ali Haider Zaidi[4]
Predecessor1:Ali Haider Zaidi
Term End2:23 December 2022
1Blankname2:Chairman
1Namedata2:Imran Khan
Constituency3:PS-99 (Karachi East-I)
Termend:26 July 2023
Successor:Rana Ansar
Term End3:11 August 2023

Haleem Adil Sheikh (ur|{{Nastaliq|حلیم عادل شیخ; born 22 February 1966) is a Pakistani politician who had been a member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh from August 2018 to August 2023,[5] and had served as Leader of the Opposition of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh from January 2021 to July 2023. Sheikh served as the parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Provincial Assembly of Sindh from August 2018 to January 2021, and is currently the President of PTI for Sindh.

Political career

Sheikh was elected to the Provincial Assembly of Sindh as a candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from constituency PS-99 (Karachi East-I) in 2018 Sindh provincial election.[6]

In January 2021, he was appointed as leader of Opposition of Sindh Assembly.[7] His house was raided by the Sindh Police on 16 May 2022.[8] On 26 July, Sheikh was removed as the Opposition Leader of Provincial Assembly of Sindh.[9] Sheikh was arrested on 25 August 2022 by the Anti-Encroachment Force (AEF) in connection with a land-grabbing case. The AEF produced him in the court of Malir’s judicial magistrate.[10] He was released from jail on 9 September 2022 after a court accepted his bail plea.[11] On 2 June 2023, he was appointed as the President of PTI's Sindh chapter by Imran Khan, the chairman of the PTI.[12]

On 30 August 2023, Haleem Adil Sheikh was arrested from outside the court building and Police bundled him off to an undisclosed location.[13] On 31 January 2024, his release from jail was ordered by the Karachi city court after he was discharged in a case related to the May 9 riots.[14] Following this, on 16 February 2024, he was released from his imprisonment on bail.[15]

He ran from the National Assembly seat NA-238 Karachi East-IV in the 2024 Pakistani general election but officially lost the seat to Sadiq Iftikhar, a candidate of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P). Following this, he and PTI have claimed that the seat was rigged using Form 47s. Sheikh stated that the fact that PTI won more votes on Form 45s was evidence of the party's election victory.[16]

Sheikh and PTI challenged 20 National Assembly seats in Karachi and two in Hyderabad, claiming that PTI had won them instead of the MQM-P. Sheikh also forwarded claims that 38 Sindh Assembly seats were rigged. He stated that PTI collected Form 45s and proof that 22 National Assembly seats including his own, NA-238 Karachi East-IV were rigged in favor of MQM-P.[17] He has moved to challenge the election results of his constituency in the Sindh High Court.[18]

Views

Sheikh has been a staunch critic of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. He stated in June 2024 that Sindh had not seen any proper development for 15 years under the PPP provincial government. Sheikh has stated that billions of rupees were allocated in budgets but they did not result in any development in the province. Sheikh has primarily criticized the education department of Murad Ali Shah for widespread closures of schools in the province and scandals in budgeting.[19] He has also been a staunch critic of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan and has been a leading figure in alleging the 2024 Pakistani general elections were rigged. Sheikh has also affirmed support for Imran Khan.

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Notes and References

  1. https://www.politicpk.com/profile-haleem-adil-sheikh-mpa-ps-99-karachi-east-i/
  2. News: Switching sides: Haleem Adil Sheikh joins PTI. 21 January 2016. 24 September 2021. The Express Tribune (newspaper).
  3. News: PTI MPA Dua Bhutto declares marriage through social media post. 24 September 2021. 24 September 2021. ARY News.
  4. News: 25 December 2021. PM announces new PTI structure. The Express Tribune (newspaper). 26 December 2021.
  5. Web site: PPP govt violates code of conduct in NA-205: Haleem Adil. www.brecorder.com. 15 July 2019 .
  6. Web site: Election Results 2018 - Constituency Details . www.thenews.com.pk . The News . 29 July 2018 . en.
  7. News: Haleem Adil Sheikh appointed as new Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly. 27 January 2021. 24 September 2021. The Nation (newspaper).
  8. Web site: 2022-11-18 . Police raid Haleem’s residence without warrants: PTI . 2024-08-27 . The Express Tribune . en.
  9. Web site: In a first, Sindh Assembly appoints woman opposition leader . 2024-08-27 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  10. News: Haleem Adil Sheikh 'tortured and choked' in custody by Sindh police, PTI alleges . 2022-08-30 . Dawn News.
  11. Web site: Opposition leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh released from jail . 2022-09-16 . www.geo.tv . en.
  12. Web site: 2023-06-02 . Haleem Adil Sheikh appointed PTI Sindh president . 2023-07-10 . DAWN.COM . en.
  13. Web site: 2023-08-30 . Police haul away PTI’s Haleem Adil Sheikh in Karachi . 2024-08-27 . The Express Tribune . en.
  14. Web site: Ahmed . Shamil . 2024-01-31 . Court orders PTI leader Haleem Adil Shaikh’s release . 2024-08-27 . Aaj English TV . en.
  15. Web site: 2024-02-15 . Haleem Adil Sheikh: PTI leader released from prison . 2024-08-27 . ARY NEWS . en-US.
  16. Web site: sameer.mandhro . 2024-02-26 . 'Form 45 proof of PTI's success in Feb 8 elections' . 2024-08-27 . The Express Tribune . en.
  17. Web site: PTI won 20 NA seats from Karachi, two from Hyderabad, says Haleem . 2024-08-27 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  18. Web site: 2024-02-11 . Haleem Adil Sheikh challenges NA-238 election results in SHC . 2024-08-27 . The Nation . en-US.
  19. Web site: Haleem sees no development in Sindh in last 15 years . 2024-08-27 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.