HYDERABAD, July 30: Eight people were reportedly injured in the premises of Kotri court in a clash between police and supporters of People’s Party Parliamentarians when police tried to arrest an Awam Dost Panel candidate for the post of nazim of the Seri union council.

The candidate, Dur Mohammad Palari, had gone to the court for scrutiny of nomination papers on Saturday morning and a heavy contingent of police led by SHO Nooriabad police station, Ali Akbar Panhwar, tried to arrest him.

The police sealed the court premises from outside and had obtained warrants for his arrest from the Sessions court. However, the supporters of Mr Palari resisted.

As a result, eight people were injured. On receipt of information about the clash, former district nazim of the defunct Dadu district, Malik Asad Sikandar, MNA Ghani Talpur, Ghulam Nabi, MPA Pireen Shoro, former MPA Pir Bux Khaskheli and Jamshoro TPO Sikandar Magsi along with a police squad also reached the spot.

The defence council of Dur Mohammad Palari, Riazat Ali Sehar and Hyder Ali Sehar, approached the court and pleaded that police had no right to arrest Mr Palari from the premises of the court in a case which was registered at Thrari Mohabbat police station of the Dadu district four years back.

The PPP supporters hid Dur Mohammad Palari in a room and as the situation had become very tense the police withdrew without arresting him. Later, in a huge procession, he was taken to the Malik house in Kotri.

The district and sessions judge Jamshoro had earlier on an application filed by SHO Nooriabad authorized him to arrest the absconding accused. Malik Asad Sikandar told a group of journalists in the court premises that false cases were being registered against his supporters at the behest of federal ministers Liaquat Jatoi while the accused involved in scores of cases were roaming about freely.

He said his opponents wanted him to boycott elections but made it clear that his group would contest the elections come what may. MNA Ghani Talpur condemned the police excesses and warned now these excesses would be resisted.

When contacted on telephone, the Kotri police informed that a case of rioting had been registered against Malik Asad Sikandar, Abdul Ghani Talpur and 25 others.

Speaking at an impromptu press conference at the press club in the evening, the district president of the PML Jamshoro, Malik Changez Khan, and other leaders Malik Nadir Khan, Khuda Bux Khaskheli, Siddique Baloch, Abdul Raheem Rind and Juman Otho said the majority of people of Kohistan had joined the PML and the party had nominated its own candidates in the local body elections to challenge the Sardari system.

They said the PML candidates in Jamshoro, Kotri, Nooriabad, Thano Bula Khan, Thano Arib Khan and other areas were being harassed and threatened with dire consequences.

Referring to the incident in the premises of the Kotri courts, they said during the scrutiny of nomination papers, men of Malik Asad Sikandar at gun point had torn the documents of the PML candidates including women and tried to kidnap them.

They said police rushed to the spot and the attempt of kidnapping could not succeed.

Malik Changez alleged that Malik Asad Sikandar at the points of weapons did not allow police to arrest a wanted criminal Dur Mohammad Palari.

They appealed to the higher authorities to take notice of the excesses of Malik Asad Sikandar and provide protection to the people of Kohistan.