LARKANA: The Larkana police chief has recommended 26 cases, including those of ransacking of a Hindu dharmshala in Larkana, a suicide attack on former MNA Dr Ibrahim Jatoi in Shikarpur and a secession case registered against proscribed Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) chief Shafi Burfat and many party activists, for trial in the proposed military courts.

Sources in the Larkana deputy inspector-general (DIG) office on Tuesday confirmed that 26 such cases and relevant investigation reports had been sent to the department concerned for the purpose.

The attack on dharamshala had taken place on March 15, 2014 when a mob set it on fire and damaged some statues of deities present in the adjacent temple. The mobsters were emotionally charged over the alleged desecration of a copy of the Holy Quran earlier in the city. A judicial inquiry into the dharamshala attack was conducted by the Larkana district and sessions judge, who sent the findings to the the Sindh High Court in Karachi.

The case was registered at the Market police station.

The case against the JSMM chief Shafi Burfat and others was registered at the Ratodero police station in August 2013 for their alleged anti-state activities.

The case of the killing of a Shia leader Maulvi Shafqat Abbas Muthari, a prayer leader and caretaker of the Moosa Raza mosque near Khanpur town of Shikarpur district, in 2014 is also included in the list.

Another important case on the list is that of a suicide attack on National Peoples Party leader Dr Ibrahim Jatoi registered at the New Faujdari police station, also in Shikarpur district. According to the FIR, a suicide bomber riding a motorcycle dashed into the vehicle Dr Jatoi was travelling in. The vehicle was damaged but Dr Jatoi remained safe.

Yet another case recommended for trial in a military court pertains to the planting of a bomb in the way of a spiritual leader, Syed Hussain Shah Qambar Waro, who was wounded in the blast but a man present at the site was killed. The case was registered at the Abad police station in Jacobabad district.

Three cases regarding planting of bombs on rail tracks in Thull town have been included in the transfer list.

Seven persons were killed and two others wounded in the blast that occurred within the jurisdiction of the A-Section police station of Jacobabad district last year.

The Larkana DIG has already recommended the rape and murder case of a five-year-old girl registered at the Waleed police station on Nov 24, 2014 for trial in a military court. The girl was found strangled to death and her body was dumped in a house in Waleed town.

Five suspects held in the case are currently facing a trial being conducted by the Larkana antiterrorism court.

Yet another case being transferred to the proposed military court pertained to the killing of Khabbar SHO Abdul Khalique Bozdar and constables Ghuos Bakhash Joyo and Mohammed Jum­man Rahar in an attack on a police party on Nov 24, 2014.

The Sept 22, 2008 attack on a police picket at Noorpur Regulator with rockets and automatic weapons has also been included in the list.

Five police officials, SI Muhabbat Khan Rind and constables Mumtaz Ali Gopang, Sajjad Hussain Chandio, Mohammed Mureed Metlo and Ghulam Shabbir Brohi were killed in the attack.

The case was registered at the Imam Bukhsh Jamali police station.

Furthermore, the cases pertaining to the planting of explosives on gas pipelines registered at different police stations in Kandhkot-Kashmor district are being transferred to military courts.

Among the other cases in the list are those related to police encounters that took place in various localities within the Larkana police range.

The sources said that all these cases would be considered by a committee constituted for the purpose by the provincial police chief before being formally transferred to military courts.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2015

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