KARACHI, June 13: Speakers at a demonstration on Tuesday condemned the demolition of historical graves of Moririo Meerbahar and his six brothers at Gulbai roundabout and demanded that the graves be reconstructed at original site and those involved in the demolition operation be arrested, tried and punished according to law.

Speaking at the demonstration, organized by various NGOs and political parties on the demolition site, they termed the graves a part of Sindh’s heritage, and said under a conspiracy heritage, structures were being demolished.

The graves were over 700 years old and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai had written many poems on their life-story.

The protesters slated government agencies for the demolition action. They said after the demolition of graves and the monument, which were restored in 1990s through local government funds, artificial graves have been constructed at a nearby site. They said if graves were not reconstructed at the original site, they would stage a demonstration on June 15.

The said government agencies in the name of development, under a pre-planned plan, were wiping out monuments and this time, graves have been demolished by the organizations constructing various road projects – including Northern Bypass, Lyari Expressway.

Pakistan People’s Party leader Nisar Khuhro condemned the action and said earlier villages were demolished and now the historical monuments were being razed. He said he would raise the issue in the next session of the assembly.

Jeay Sindh Mahaz leaders Abdul Khalique Junejo, Hashim Khoso and National Workers Party leader Usman Baloch, who visited the site on Tuesday demanded that all those involved in the demolition action be taken to task and punished according to the law.

A large number of people belonging to the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, led by Tahira Ali, Ayub Shan, Khudaganj Shad, and others also reached the site and staged a demonstration.

The protesters, a majority of whom included fishermen and residents of Ibrahim Haidery, Rehri goth, Chashma goth, Abdullah Goth, Gizri and Keamari, were chanting slogans against the demolition. Later, protesters took out a procession, which after marching through various roads and streets, reached Karachi Press Club and chanted slogans in support of their demands.

Pasban leaders Ashraf Hussain, Rustam Jamal, Owais Lassi and others, condemning the demolition by the NLC, said if graves were not reconstructed, they would stage a demonstration at Gulbai on June 15. They said that the the Pasban in its statement on June 6 had feared that the NLC which is constructing flyover is planning to shift shift these graves to some other place.

They said the graves were located in a roundabout and were not posing any hindrance to traffic. They also criticized the government agencies that were not ready to even accept that they had demolished graves.

Over 700 years back, Obhayo Meerbahar, a fisherman, with his seven sons – Moririo, Angario, Khamiso and others – used to live on Sonmiani – a coastal village some 60 km west of present day Karachi. Moririo was the youngest son and was handicapped, but very intelligent. Some influential imposed heavy taxes on fishing and owing to which Obhayo shifted to Karachi and restarted his family trade of fishing.

One day when Moririo’s six brothers went for fishing, they did not turn up and were eaten up by a big fish. Moririo approached Shah Mohammad Sultan alias Dalorai, an influential person of Ratokot, near Phitti Creek, and urged him to help him with an iron cage, ropes and a few horses so that he could recover bodies of his brothers.

After these goods were provided, Moririo sat in the iron cage that had knifes and hooks fixed all around, and went into sea. The huge fish once again seeing the prey came and swallowed the cage, and the knifes and hooks got stuck in the mouth of the fish, and when people standing on the coast got a signal from Moririo, they pulled the cage with the help of horses, and along with the cage, fish was also dragged out.

The fish was cut open and bodies of brothers of Moririo were taken out and later buried at a place near the coast now known as Gulbai Chowk. Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai had also written many poems highlighting the intelligence and bravery of Moririo Meernahar. Some of Bhittai’s verses, highlighting Moririo’s story, were also written on the graves and the monument, which have been demolished.